FUJIFILM LAUNCHES GREEN TONER!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDfYQj0laog

In a recent episode of the Digital Embellishment Show, Andrew Gunn – Director of Product Marketing at Fujifilm – shared insights on how Fujifilm is expanding the possibilities of digital print embellishments. In conversation with host Kevin Abergel, Gunn discussed Fujifilm’s heightened market presence, the Aspire program for CMYK+ education, and an upcoming fluorescent green specialty toner that promises to revolutionize digital printing. This article distills key takeaways from that interview, highlighting how Fujifilm’s initiatives are empowering print providers and designers to embrace beyond CMYK embellishments and achieve eye-popping results.

Fujifilm Steps Up Visibility and Partnerships

Gunn opened by noting Fujifilm’s increased visibility in the print industry – a deliberate effort to “walk with a heavier foot,” as he put it. Over the past year, Fujifilm has been everywhere: sponsoring events, speaking at conferences, and forging new dealer partnerships. Gunn’s travels have taken him from Fujifilm’s headquarters in Japan to industry summits like the recent Executive Connection Summit in Scottsdale, AZ. These efforts underscore Fujifilm’s commitment to engaging the print community on multiple fronts. By expanding its channel partnerships and direct presence, Fujifilm is ensuring that its latest technologies and solutions are accessible to print service providers (PSPs) everywhere. The strategy is clearly paying off – as Gunn humorously noted, “every time I go on LinkedIn, I’m seeing Fujifilm all over the place.” This heightened profile sets the stage for the company’s initiatives in digital embellishment technologies.

The Aspire Program: Taking the Fear Out of CMYK+

One standout initiative driving Fujifilm’s success is the Aspire program – a comprehensive resource and training platform aimed at demystifying CMYK+ printing and embellishments. Historically, many press manufacturers would simply install a machine and leave printers to figure out advanced capabilities on their own. Fujifilm has broken that mold with Aspire. Gunn explained that Aspire is a “groundswell program” providing end-to-end support for adopting 5th or 6th color units and decorative effects. From designer education and sales training to pricing guides and operator tutorials, Aspire offers a turnkey toolkit so that adding specialty inks/toners isn’t a scary “boogeyman” in the print shop.

Through Aspire, Fujifilm provides a free suite of tools and resources to help designers and print operators maximize their investment in CMYK+ technology . Participants can access live monthly webinars, design guides, and even Adobe plug-ins that simplify the creation of files with specialty effects  . For example, Aspire’s CMYK+ Design Guide and plug-ins show how to incorporate inks like pink, gold, silver, white, and clear into designs, with easy steps to elevate everything from business cards to brochures . The program essentially bridges the gap between creative vision and technical execution, ensuring that designers can confidently leverage metallics and fluorescents and that print operators know how to handle those jobs on press .

Kevin Abergel noted that out of millions of graphic designers, perhaps “less than a few thousand” truly know how to design for digital embellishments – and even fewer print salespeople know how to sell such capabilities. Aspire directly addresses this knowledge gap. By normalizing and democratizing CMYK+ enhancements, Fujifilm is helping to create a “new normal” where adding a fifth or sixth color or clear coat is routine, not rare. One print partner told Gunn that they’ve virtually stopped running plain 4-color jobs; now every print includes at least one specialty toner (be it pink, clear, white, gold, or silver) to add value. This kind of culture shift – making CMYK+ the default – is exactly what Aspire strives for. As Gunn summarized, it’s about “taking the boogeyman out” of using that extra station, so printers and designers aren’t intimidated by these ultra-creative techniques.

Expanding the Palette: From Pink and Metallics to a New Green Toner

Fujifilm has already built an impressive portfolio of specialty toners that work in tandem with CMYK process colors. Metallic toners like gold and silver, along with white, clear, and even a vibrant pink toner, have given print providers new ways to wow their clients. Pink toner, in particular, has been a game-changer – used not only for neon effects but also to expand the printable color gamut (when combined with CMYK, pink can produce hues and vibrancy not achievable with magenta ink alone). Print providers have been experimenting with these options to differentiate themselves. For instance, one innovative Fujifilm customer, Big Dot (run by industry guru Eddie B.), prints every job with a touch of pink toner to subtly boost color intensity. Even if the final piece doesn’t obviously look pink, the added gamut extension makes colors pop; customers often remark that his output just looks higher quality, not realizing the secret is an extra colorant. These early adopters prove the value of CMYK+ – once print buyers see the richer images and tactile effects, they never want to “go back to boring old CMYK,” as Gunn quipped.

Now, Fujifilm is raising the bar yet again. Andrew Gunn revealed that a new product launching in spring will introduce a fluorescent green specialty toner into the mix. While he couldn’t divulge all details on-air, he confirmed this green toner is an additive color that can be loaded in Fujifilm’s digital presses alongside CMYK (and in addition to existing pink or other toners). This fluorescent green represents the latest evolution of Fujifilm’s CMYK+ portfolio, and it’s poised to offer unprecedented flexibility and color power for users.

Gunn showed a sample during the interview: a landscape photograph printed normally, versus the same image printed with the new green toner (plus CMYK). The difference was striking – the version with green had noticeably more “pop” and depth, especially in the foliage and vibrant areas. This aligns with Fujifilm’s claim that combining the new green toner with pink toner dramatically expands the printable gamut – covering up to 93% of the Pantone Solid Coated library . In fact, Fujifilm reports that with CMYK+Green+Pink, their press can reproduce colors exceptionally close to what you see on a monitor . Bright screen-native colors that used to dull out in print can now be achieved much more faithfully. Equally important, the forthcoming system will automate the complexity behind the scenes: it can take an RGB image and smartly separate it into CMYK plus green and pink layers for printing, significantly reducing prepress headaches when dealing with wide-gamut jobs .

Notably, Fujifilm’s specialty toner lineup is becoming one of the most comprehensive in the industry. Depending on the press model, customers can configure up to two specialty toners in addition to CMYK. The roster now spans eight options: Green, Pink, Gold, Silver, Clear, White, a Custom Red, and even a Textured clear toner for tactile effects . This means users can mix and match colors and effects for different jobs – for example, running CMYK+Gold+Silver for luxury metallic invitations, or CMYK+Green+Pink for high-impact vibrant marketing pieces. By continually adding such options (gold was just added to mid-range presses in late 2025 , and now green for high-end presses), Fujifilm shows a commitment to giving printers “infinite eye-catching possibilities” with digital printing .

Why Green Toner Matters: Brighter Prints and Deeper Imagery

At first glance, adding a fluorescent green toner might sound like just getting a brighter green ink. In reality, its impact is broader – it addresses long-standing challenges in color printing and taps into how humans perceive color. Gunn emphasized two big reasons to be excited about green: preserving RGB vibrancy and exploiting our eyes’ sensitivity.

1. Bridging the RGB-to-CMYK Gap: In today’s design world, many creatives unknowingly design in the RGB color space (especially using tools like Canva or Photoshop defaults) and then send files for printing. The result is often disappointment – those electric blues, neon greens, or vivid purples that looked great on screen come out dull or muted once converted to CMYK. This is a fundamental limitation: the RGB color gamut (what monitors display with light) is much wider than what traditional CMYK inks can reproduce. For example, a vibrant electric blue on screen might print as a duller purple-blue in CMYK, simply because some RGB colors cannot be matched with four inks . Printers frequently hear complaints that “it looked brighter on my screen.” By adding a green (and also using pink) toner, Fujifilm aims to close that gap. The green toner will capture hues that would otherwise fall out of gamut – especially in the greens and cyans – thus preserving more of the original design’s punch. Designers working in RGB will find that prints come out much closer to what they saw on screen, particularly for images with vibrant natural tones or fluorescent effects. While no print can ever be backlit like a screen, this technology can “split the difference,” as Gunn said, delivering far more saturation and brightness than standard CMYK can. Indeed, Fujifilm’s internal tests show that with CMYK+Green+Pink, they can achieve 93% of Pantone spot colors within a tiny margin of Delta E difference  – essentially monitor-like color fidelity in print.

2. Capitalizing on Human Eye Sensitivity: The choice of green is not random; it’s rooted in science. The human eye can distinguish more shades of green than any other color . Evolutionarily, our vision adapted to the natural world (rich in greenery), making us especially attuned to subtle variations in green hues. What this means for print is that adding a green toner doesn’t just make “greens greener” – it can actually heighten the perceived detail and depth in images. Gunn described looking at a dense tree line in a landscape print: with the green toner added, you can see richer gradations and more depth in the foliage and grass, almost as if the image has an extra dimension. By extending the gamut in the green spectrum, the print can reveal nuances that our eyes would otherwise miss in a CMYK print where those shades get compressed or shifted. This translates to more lifelike photographs – think of more realistic forest greens, lively emerald tones, and vibrant teals in seascapes. It also opens up new possibilities in graphic design: previously “impossible” colors like certain bright pastels or vivid lime greens can now be printed true to vision. In short, the fluorescent green toner gives printers and designers a powerful tool to heighten visual impact and deliver imagery that resonates with how we naturally see the world.

Real-World Impact: Printers Pushing the 

Art of the Possible

The combination of Fujifilm’s expanding toner palette and the Aspire program’s educational support is already yielding success stories. Printers who embrace these embellishments are finding new revenue streams and creative applications. As mentioned, Big Dot in Canada has cleverly used pink toner to enhance everyday prints, giving them a competitive quality edge. They even produced innovative business cards that not only sport striking fluorescent embellishments but also embedded NFC chips – blending print with digital interactivity. When Gunn meets with customers, he often carries samples (courtesy of trailblazers like Big Dot’s owner Eddie) showing prints side-by-side with and without the special toners. The reaction is almost always “Wow!” Seeing truly is believing; once a print buyer or designer experiences the difference – the shimmer of metallic gold on a invite, the glow of fluorescent pink on a direct mail piece, or the lush greens in a photo – a plain CMYK job suddenly feels inadequate.

These capabilities also allow print service providers to differentiate their offerings in a crowded market. Brands are constantly looking for ways to stand out and add premium touches to their print collateral. Research shows metallics and specialty colors not only catch attention but also command higher margins (for instance, metallic gold and silver are among the top-selling and most profitable print embellishments ). By investing in a platform that can do it all in one pass – standard color plus decorative effects – printers can offer high-end finishes (like gold foiling simulations, spot varnish effects with clear toner, or expanded gamut vibrant imagery) without the cost and complexity of traditional post-print processes. It’s a win-win: customers get eye-catching prints that “wow” their audience, and print providers get to increase print value and profit.

Importantly, Fujifilm isn’t doing this alone. Gunn acknowledged the role of industry partners like Taktiful – Kevin Abergel’s firm – which champions the “Art of the Possible” with digital print embellishment. Fujifilm’s collaboration with consultants, designers, and early adopters helps generate fresh applications and showcase what these technologies can do. Fujifilm and Taktiful are even launching an Advisory Council (which Gunn and pioneering customers like Eddie are part of) to further spread knowledge and spur innovation in this space. By fostering a community of CMYK+ evangelists, they aim to inspire more printers to step outside their comfort zone and experiment with these tools.

The New Normal in Print: Collaboration, Education, and Innovation

The conversation with Andrew Gunn made one thing clear: Fujifilm is fully committed to evangelizing digital embellishments and making advanced color printing accessible to all. From the Aspire program’s robust training resources to the development of cutting-edge toners like fluorescent green, Fujifilm is tackling both the know-how and the technology aspects simultaneously. This holistic approach is key to establishing a new normal where enhanced prints are mainstream. No longer should special effects be limited to rare projects – they can be part of everyday print jobs, increasing their impact and value.

The timing couldn’t be better. As we emerge into a post-pandemic market, print buyers crave differentiation and engagement. Digital embellishment provides that tactile, visual spark – print that not only communicates but captivates. Fujifilm’s Gunn envisions a future where a designer’s screen vision is faithfully realized on paper, where printers confidently say “yes” to wild creative ideas because their equipment and team can handle it, and where the average print sales rep understands and sells these enhancements as readily as CMYK. Reaching that future will take continued collaboration across the industry – manufacturers, software developers, designers, and educators working together.

Gunn’s parting advice in the interview was partially personal (he joked about needing some rest after countless flights) but also reflective of Fujifilm’s ethos: keep pushing the boundaries, but also take time to share knowledge and celebrate the wins. He thanked Abergel and the Digital Embellishment Show for helping highlight what’s possible, and reiterated that Fujifilm will keep championing these innovations. In his words, it’s about “evangelizing embellishments” – showing the world that print can be so much more than ink on paper.

In summary, Fujifilm’s latest moves – from the Aspire program’s educational outreach to the introduction of a fluorescent green toner – are empowering the print industry to think beyond CMYK. Printers equipped with these tools can achieve colors and effects previously deemed impossible, meet the demands of modern designers, and differentiate themselves in the market. With companies like Fujifilm leading the charge and partners like Taktiful spreading the gospel, the era of rich, embellished, high-impact print is here – and it’s poised to only get brighter (especially a neon green brighter) in the days ahead.