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22 October 2022

Why should prints be laminated

Uncoated prints made with any ink, even those exposed only indoors, are subject to a number of destructive factors that users typically aren't aware of.

These factors include:

Artificial light sources causing prints to fade.
Gaseous pollutants in the air – ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides – causing chemical reactions that degrade dyes. Sources of these gases can include electronic devices (laser printers, scanners, monitors), heating, cigarette smoke, smog, car exhaust fumes, etc.
Relative humidity above 60% is sufficient to significantly reduce print quality.
Airflow (e.g., air conditioning) can cause significant damage to prints.
Interaction between ink and media – dyes are twice as stable on matte paper.
The use of diluted ink, e.g., in a 6-color printing system, weakens the resistance of inkjet prints to fading.
UV radiation and simultaneous airflow weaken the resistance of inkjet prints threefold.
Unlaminated prints are not resistant to fingerprints, scratches, and moisture.