As sustainability becomes an increasingly urgent priority across all sectors, the print industry is rising to the challenge, with forward-thinking businesses leading the charge towards cleaner, greener practices. Among them, Blue Rhine stands out, championing the use of PVC-free materials in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and beyond.
A UAE-headquartered business with a 30-year history of innovation, Blue Rhine is a trusted distributor of signage, advertising, and LED solutions to businesses in sectors such as signage, advertising, interior design, exhibitions, construction, and fabrication.
A strategic partnership with Kavalan has enabled Blue Rhine to accelerate the sustainable transformation of large-format printing in the Middle East. Together, Blue Rhine and Kavalan are driving a shift towards greater environmental responsibility within the sector, with Blue Rhine’s efforts earning the inaugural Kavalan Green Spirit Award for its project at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. With a shared ethos, both Kavalan and Blue Rhine are committed not only to delivering high-performance materials but also to facilitating long-term, sustainable progress in the printing industry.
Blue Rhine & Kavalan Lead Education in Sustainable Printing
Speaking with Marcus Timson, a judge of the Kavalan Green Leader Awards on an episode of his FuturePrint Podcast, Rizin Kabeer, product management leader at Blue Rhine discussed the region’s attitudes and approach to sustainability, as well as how Blue Rhine is contributing to and driving this change in approach.
Kabeer described how in the GCC region, sustainability is transitioning from a trend to a market requirement, with clients increasingly receptive to eco-friendly materials. However, due to the challenging weather conditions in the area, including some of the world’s highest summer temperatures and extremely cold winters, printed materials need to work harder than in other areas with milder climates. Kabeer explained that due to this, some of the primary barriers to wider adoption of sustainable print materials are a misconception about cost and a hesitancy about performance.
To overcome these challenges, rather than simply offering green alternatives, Blue Rhine focuses on enabling clients to understand and embrace sustainable materials through training and ongoing support long after the sales stage, helping them become champions of a more sustainable print future. Kavalan’s portfolio of 100% clean, PVC-free materials is ideally suited to the region’s climate demands – combining durability, lightweight design, and water-based coatings that reduce harmful emissions. These characteristics, paired with Blue Rhine’s customer-centric and education-led approach, have created a dynamic partnership that goes far beyond product distribution to shape a more sustainable print ecosystem.
A large part of this education involves highlighting the cradle-to-grave lifecycle benefits of sustainable materials by helping customers to translate technical details into tangible environmental savings. This is where Kavalan’s Eco Calculator plays a crucial role. The tool allows Blue Rhine to quantify the environmental savings of Kavalan materials, such as reductions in water usage and toxicity.
Championing Sustainable Print: Blue Rhine at Hero Dubai
Blue Rhine’s educational ethos, technical expertise, and dedication to sustainability across all aspects of the business were put into practice with striking results during the company’s award-winning work for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic at the Emirates Golf Club.
As part of a broader sustainability drive, the event embraced a wide range of green initiatives, from switching to solar-powered electricity and electric vehicles, to zero use of single-use plastics and implementing extensive recycling measures. With such a strong commitment to sustainability at this large-scale event, the printed materials needed to match the same environmental standards as the rest of the event. That’s where Kavalan’s Sunlight 280GB PVC-free material came in.
Kabeer explains: “The region’s climate conditions are quite tough and this is where Kavalan came in. I would like to call it the missing piece of the puzzle. Kavalan bridged the gap by offering a sustainable solution. I would like to thank its Eco Calculator because we are really able to provide the customer with tailored or bespoke certification on exactly what they have used. The print quality, the less heaviness enhancing the application, this Eco Calculator, all came together and made this green message come to life.”
A vision for a sustainable print future
As Kabeer explains, sustainable print is no longer just a trend, it’s the next era for the industry. The region’s climate challenges have historically made people question whether green solutions can deliver the necessary durability and performance, but with Kavalan’s PVC-free materials, Blue Rhine is showing them that they can.
The GCC region is undergoing a broader transformation and these factors are all helping to shape a culture that prioritises long-term environmental positive change. This shift in the wider region is reinforcing Blue Rhine’s efforts, making it easier to engage customers in meaningful conversations about change.
