It’s the Best offers Riso printing to practically* anyone who needs it! We’ll print your existing designs, or we’ll design and print for you. The sky’s the limit baby… Bearing in mind a few limitations outlined below.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Read on for more info or click the button to request an estimate.

A Riso (fka Risograph) is a weird combination screen printer, copy machine, and offset press. Like screen printing, images are printed one color at a time by pressing ink through a fine mesh screen. Like offset printing, each color has its own cylinder (or drum) around which the screen is wrapped; the paper passes under the cylinder as it rotates, imprinting the image.

Finally, Risos are similar to copy machines in shape, size, and UI functionality, but instead of toner, a Riso uses a proprietary ink system (think Pantone but with fewer colors). And unlike toner-based duplicators, heat is never applied to the paper.

Here’s at It’s the Best, we run an SF9450. 

We run a single-color Riso. We’re happy to run your artwork with as many colors as you need, just be aware the more runs through the machine, the more likely smudges and slight shifts in registration.

Size: The maximum paper size we can print is 11×17. The maximum printable area is about 10.5×16.5, but we recommend sizes smaller than that for best results.

Weight: For best results, we recommend a maximum cover weight of 110lbs or 200gsm. We’ve had success with heavier weights, but it gets hairy. And extra-thick papers are pricey. On the other end of the spectrum, we recommend a text weight not less than 28lbs or 105 gsm text.

Finish: Rougher papers (“with a tooth”) like recycled, bristol, or fiber print best. No glossy papers. Super smooth papers will print, but the ink will smudge. We only print on FSC-certified stocks. We prefer to print on recycled stocks but realize they won’t work for everything.

We can score, fold, and cut, of course. We of wire binding and padding. We do limited stitch binding by request only. Oh, we also do round corners. Hell yeah!

We’re happy to help set up your files if you’re new to the Riso game. We’ll also handle everything on your behalf, including design. If you’d like to go that route, contact us.

We take great pride in what we do, but Riso printing is an inexact science. If you are expecting perfection, Riso might not be the best route. But we think the imperfections are what makes Riso the best.

We offer our services on a sliding scale, so let’s talk about your needs. Fees cover materials, shipping/delivery, and a (flat or hourly) production fee. Generally speaking, Riso is way cheap. The most significant cost is often the paper.