Eco Friendly Poster Printing on Recycled Paper

Eco Friendly Printer prints custom posters for businesses, nonprofits, schools, venues and event organizers. Posters are printed on recycled paper with soy-based inks, and large posters can be printed on eco board, a rigid board made from 100% post-consumer recycled material that is used in place of foam core. Whether you need a few posters for a store window or a few hundred for a campaign, we will recommend a stock and size that suits where the poster will hang.

Common uses for printed posters

• Event, concert and festival posters
• Retail window posters, sales and new product announcements
• Restaurant and cafe specials, menus and promotions
• Nonprofit campaigns, fundraisers and awareness posters
• Trade show and conference signs
• Office, school and campus notices
• Art, photography and decorative prints for framing

Poster sizes

The most common poster sizes are 11 x 17 in, 12 x 18 in, 18 x 24 in and 24 x 36 in. 11 x 17 in and 12 x 18 in posters work well on community boards, counters and smaller windows. 18 x 24 in is a popular size for store windows, lobbies and easels, and 24 x 36 in is the standard large poster size for walls, events and framing. 27 x 40 in is the traditional movie poster size, and we print custom sizes as well. If the poster is going into a frame you already own, measure the opening and send us the size. Our poster size guide lists standard sizes, ratios and frame sizes side by side.

Paper and board options

Posters for indoor use are usually printed on 100lb text or 80lb cover paper. Text weight is lighter and easy to hang or ship rolled, while cover weight is stiffer and lies flatter on a wall. Uncoated recycled paper gives a natural, low-glare finish that is easy to read under bright lights. For photographs and posters that will be framed, we also offer high-gloss poster paper with richer color.

For posters that need to stand on an easel or hang without a frame, we print on eco board or recycled foam board. Eco board gives you the stiffness of foam core without the plastic. For one event, we produced twelve 4 x 4 ft posters on eco board, each with two drilled holes so they could be hung from overhead wires at the venue. See foam board printing for more on rigid posters and signs.

How the eco choices apply to posters

Posters are often used for a short time and then replaced, so the material matters. We print on recycled paper with soy-based inks, and most of our poster stocks are available with 100% post-consumer recycled content. Paper posters can go in paper recycling when they come down, and eco board posters avoid the plastic foam used in standard foam core. Ordering the right quantity also cuts waste. Tell us how many locations the posters are going to, and we will help you order enough without a large surplus. Our guide to eco friendly signage covers more ways to reduce waste from signs and posters.

Design tips for posters

• Lead with one large headline that can be read from across the room.
• Keep supporting text short, and put the date, time, place or offer where it is easy to find.
• Use high-resolution images. Photos should be 150 to 300 dpi at the final printed size.
• Add bleed if the design runs to the edge, and keep important text inside the safe area.
• Set up the file at the final size or at the same ratio, so nothing is cropped.

Our guide to print-ready files explains bleed, resolution and color settings in more detail.

How ordering works

Send your artwork, the poster size, the quantity and where the posters will be displayed. You can start your order online. We will recommend a paper or board, confirm the details and give you a price before anything is printed. Most poster orders are ready in one to two weeks from artwork approval. For smaller handouts, see flyers. For posters on a built-in stand, see easel back prints.

Common questions about poster printing

What is the most common poster size?

24 x 36 inches is the most common large poster size, and 18 x 24 inches is the most common medium size. 11 x 17 inches is often used for smaller posters and notices.

What paper is best for posters?

For most indoor posters, 100lb text or 80lb cover recycled paper works well. For posters that will be framed or that feature photographs, high-gloss poster paper gives the richest color.

Can you print posters on a rigid board?

Yes. We print posters on eco board, a plastic-free board made from 100% post-consumer recycled material, and on recycled foam board. Rigid posters can stand on an easel or hang without a frame.

Can I order just a few posters?

Yes. Short runs are printed digitally, so you can order a small number of posters. Larger runs can be printed on an offset press. Tell us the quantity and we will quote the best option.

Can recycled paper posters be recycled again?

Yes. Paper posters can go in paper recycling when they come down. Posters with heavy laminate or mounted to plastic foam board are harder to recycle, which is why we offer eco board instead.

• 11 x 17, 12 x 18, 18 x 24, 24 x 36 and 27 x 40 in, plus custom sizes
• Recycled text and cover papers with soy-based inks
• High-gloss poster paper for framed posters and photos
• Large posters on plastic-free eco board or recycled foam board
• Short digital runs and larger offset runs