Every banknote is a piece of engineering. Behind the colours and symbols lie layers of inks, security features, foils, and varnishes, each chosen to deter counterfeiting while maintaining durability. Yet the processes that bring these notes to life consume significant energy and resources. For a global industry facing mounting scrutiny, banknote printing has become a frontline for sustainability.
Traditional offset and intaglio printing presses are highly resource-intensive. They require enormous power to maintain precision and control humidity levels, not to mention the solvents and chemicals used to clean machinery between runs. Ink alone—specialised, durable, and security-enhanced—carries environmental costs. Metallic foils and holographic threads, while vital for security, pose recycling challenges when fused with substrates.
Leading printworks are rethinking these practices. Renewable energy adoption has become one of the fastest wins: solar installations now power parts of national printing facilities in Asia and Europe. Heat recovery systems capture the warmth generated by heavy presses and recycle it to control building temperatures, reducing reliance on fossil-fuel-based heating. These investments don’t just cut emissions—they lower operating costs over time, demonstrating that sustainability and efficiency can align.
Water use is another pressure point. Some older facilities consume vast amounts during cleaning cycles, particularly for plates and rollers. Newer presses and chemical substitutes reduce water demand, while closed-loop systems recycle it. Similarly, non-toxic cleaning agents are replacing traditional solvents, protecting workers’ health while limiting harmful effluent.
Attention is also turning to inks themselves. Plant-based pigments, once dismissed as too unstable, are gaining traction as manufacturers refine formulations for durability. Metallic inks are being reformulated with lower-impact alternatives. Even foils, long seen as a problem, are being designed for easier separation during recycling.
Transparency is a crucial step. Central banks increasingly ask for lifecycle data when commissioning new notes—how much energy, water, and raw material went into production, and how waste is treated. This pressure incentivises suppliers to adopt greener practices and standardise reporting. It also opens the door to innovation partnerships, where printers, substrate providers, and recyclers collaborate to close loops in the banknote lifecycle.
Still, challenges persist. Many facilities are located in countries where grid electricity remains coal-heavy, limiting the impact of efficiency gains. Transitioning to renewable energy requires upfront investment and sometimes political will. The security requirements of banknotes mean not all substitutes are viable; plant-based inks must withstand years of handling, and foils must maintain anti-counterfeiting performance. The balance between sustainability and security remains delicate.
Yet the trajectory is clear: cleaner presses, smarter materials, and greater accountability. In the coming decade, the question will no longer be whether greener printing is possible but how fast it can scale. For the ICA, highlighting and sharing these efforts helps build a collective standard that pulls the industry forward. Every improvement—whether a water-saving press in Asia or a solar-powered plant in Europe—adds up.
Currency is often described as a symbol of national identity. Increasingly, it must also symbolise responsibility. A note that secures trust in value should also secure trust in its production—proof that the guardians of money take their duty to the planet seriously.
