As sustainability moves from aspiration to expectation across the print industry, distributors and suppliers are under increasing pressure to demonstrate practical, credible alternatives to traditional materials. In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, Blue Rhine is positioning itself at the forefront of this shift through its partnership with PVC-free materials manufacturer Kavalan.
UAE-headquartered Blue Rhine, which has operated in the region for more than 30 years, supplies signage, advertising, and LED solutions to customers working across sectors including exhibitions, interior design, construction, and fabrication. Its collaboration with Kavalan is focused on accelerating the adoption of PVC-free large-format print materials in a region where climate conditions have historically raised concerns around durability and performance.
According to Rizin Kabeer, product management leader at Blue Rhine, sustainability in the GCC is increasingly being driven by customer demand rather than branding initiatives alone. Speaking on an episode of the FuturePrint Podcast with Marcus Timson, a judge of the Kavalan Green Leader Awards, Mr Kabeer said that misconceptions around cost and performance remain key barriers to wider adoption of sustainable materials, particularly given the region’s extreme temperatures.
Rather than positioning itself purely as a materials supplier, Blue Rhine has taken an education-led approach, supporting customers through training and post-sale engagement to help them understand how sustainable substrates perform in real-world applications. Kavalan’s portfolio of PVC-free materials, designed with water-based coatings and reduced emissions, has been used by Blue Rhine to demonstrate durability alongside environmental benefits.
This approach was showcased during Blue Rhine’s work on the Hero Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club, where the event’s wider sustainability programme included renewable energy use, electric vehicles and zero single-use plastics. Printed graphics for the event were produced using Kavalan Sunlight 280GB.
Mr Kabeer said: “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.”
Blue Rhine was recognised with the inaugural Kavalan Green Spirit Award for the project. Both companies say the partnership reflects a longer-term commitment to embedding sustainable materials into mainstream print workflows across the Middle East.
