Carbon footprint of a book: printing in France or abroad

Digital printing generally emits less on a short run: offset requires plates and make-ready sheets. Offset can become the better option beyond a few thousand copies, and sooner where electricity has higher emissions. Vary the print run to compare the two processes.

Offset make-ready uses sheets to adjust ink levels and colour registration: 180 to 250 sheets for a four-colour form on a modern press, up to 500 in British allowances. It also requires an aluminium plate for each colour and each side of the sheet, with a footprint of about 7.7 kg CO2e per m².

The calculator assigns no plates or make-ready sheets to digital printing. The digital presses studied by VTT use roughly two to four times as much electricity per page than offset. Offset therefore becomes the better option sooner in Poland than in France. The crossover depends in particular on the assumptions for plates and make-ready. In the case studied for HP, a digital press manufacturer, it is around 5,000 catalogues.

FSC and PEFC cover forest management and material traceability; they do not certify a carbon footprint. In the UBA study, recycled paper emits about 15 % less than the average for virgin-fibre papers.

Virgin-fibre paper production can emit less than recycled paper production when the pulp and paper are made at the same site. The calculator therefore does not always show a reduction for recycled paper: the result depends on the assumptions used.

These terms require supporting evidence. The EU directive provides for a ban from 27 September 2026 on generic claims (« eco-friendly », « green », « low-carbon ») without recognised excellent environmental performance, and on product neutrality claims based on offsetting. A numerical comparison must state the options compared, its scope and its method.

When quoting a result, state its scope and make clear that it is an estimate, with a link to the method: “about 0.5 kg CO2e per copy, from paper production to delivery, printed in France, indicative estimate”. A claim such as “printed in France, X % less CO2” also requires naming the country used for comparison and keeping the book and print run the same.

In Switzerland, since 2025, the unfair competition act has required climate claims to have an objective and verifiable basis. Whoever makes the claim must be able to substantiate it.

Not necessarily. Imprim’Vert covers hazardous waste, liquid storage, products that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction (CMR), awareness and quarterly energy monitoring. None of its five criteria sets a CO2 emissions threshold.

A novel’s footprint is roughly half a kilo to a kilo of CO2e. ADEME estimates 0.68 kg to manufacture a 300-page novel. The Finnish VTT study gives 1.16 kg for a 500 g hardcover book.

The studies cover different scopes. For the same novel, ADEME estimates about 0.9 kg over its entire lifecycle, including freight. Paper, printing process and printing country influence the carbon footprint: the calculator lets you compare these choices.

Paper often accounts for half the carbon footprint, sometimes more. To use less, adjust the paper weight, page count or format. Ten grams less per m² directly reduces the amount of paper needed.

Without comparable public European data for these papers, the calculator uses ADEME’s average for bulky paper and the uncoated paper factor for coated paper. If your mill supplies a factor covering the same scope, enter it.

The printing plant’s electricity explains much of the difference: 41 g CO2e per kWh in France in 2025, 589 in Poland and 525 in China. In our example delivered to Paris, freight emits less than manufacturing for every printing country.

About 75 % of copies sold in France are printed there; the others come mainly from Spain, Italy, Poland and Asia. Books printed in black only are mostly made in France; illustrated children’s books are almost all imported.

The calculator assumes palletised groupage freight, or a full truck for heavier print runs. For China, it combines sea and road freight. It uses the same paper factors in every country: this is an assumption for comparison, not a description of each supply chain.

Yes: unsold copies have also been manufactured. In France, about 13 % of books shipped are pulped. In our novel example, printing 1,300 copies to sell 1,000 increases the footprint per copy sold by about 20 %, compared with a run limited to expected sales.

Enter how many copies you expect to sell or give away: the calculator compares your print run with that quantity. It does not include any subsequent reprint in this comparison.

Under ADEME’s assumptions, paper books emit less if you read infrequently: about 0.9 kg CO2e per new 300-page novel, compared with 45 kg for an e-reader over its entire lifecycle. The e-reader becomes the better option above 10 books read per year, or 20 if each paper book is read twice.

This calculator only covers manufacturing and freight for a print run. It compares printing options, without comparing paper books with e-readers.

Livrempreinte, the French book sector’s tool from the SNE publishers’ association, and the Green Book Alliance calculator require an account. IN TEMPO’s calculator is open to everyone, without an account, and publishes its factors.

This calculator uses public factors to compare your production choices before you request a quote.

No: it is an estimate for comparing production choices, without certification or endorsement by the organisations cited.

To establish your book’s footprint, work with your printer or a consultancy using data from its production, and state the scope and method.