D'Lynn Waldron, Industry Insider

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A reader asked about the lasting qualities of ink jet prints... Permanency of Ink Jet Prints

by D'Lynn Waldron, PhD ©1999

FROM: D'Lynn Waldron, PhD©

Thank you for your important question. To the best of my knowledge these are the facts about the permanency of inkjet prints.
... The permanency of inks varies between inkjet printer technologies (see below) and between manufacturers and even between colors, since their pigments are not identical.
... Epson piezo electric technology is able to use more permanent inks than the technology used by an other manufacturer. The permanency of third party cartridge inks, and refill inks may not be the same as genuine Epson inks.
... All inks will fade over time if they are exposed to direct ultra violet light, which usually comes from the sun and fluorescent lighting, but is also present in firelight. The inks used is piezo electric printers are far more permanent than any color photographic print. I have had a print done with the original Epson printer behind the glass of a window that gets strong reflected sunlight for hours every day. It is now, as best I estimate, over five years, and a magenta cast is beginning to change the colors.

Prints should not be put in direct ultra-violet light.
Prints can be put in a frame with UV protective glass.
Prints can be laminated with a UV protective layer.

... I see no reason why an Epson print under UV protective glass and kept from direct light, should not keep its colors long into the future and probably beyond our lifetimes.

D'Lynn

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