HP Supplies Print Permanence and Durability

Whether you’re archiving documents for your business records or printing photos, you want your prints to last. HP invests heavily in the research and technology that ensure documents and photos last for decades. HP researchers carefully consider both permanence and durability when they develop new printing supplies and papers.

Permanence refers to how well a printed image lasts over time—whether it fades when exposed to light, heat, humidity or airborne pollutants. Durability refers to how well an image resists accidents—such as spilled water, smudging and fingernail scratches. All HP inks and papers must meet rigorous print permanence and durability tests developed by HP and by relevant standardization organizations or independent test labs. Always use Original HP inks and papers with your HP printer to achieve maximum results and performance. Using non-HP supplies may lower printer reliability and page yields, and make your office documents no longer resistant to water damage or highlighter smear. Your photos may also fade within a year, photos printed with Original HP ink and paper last up to 50 times longer than those made with non-HP supplies.³

HP conducts internal testing—and contracts independent testing—to ensure validity of claims related to print permanence and durability. Original HP inks and papers must meet rigorous tests developed by HP and by relevant standardization organizations or independent test labs.

• For documents: HP adheres to the ISO 11798 Permanence and Durability standard, sometimes referred to as the Archivability standard. HP Supplies which pass the ISO 11798 standard are provided with a certificate verifying the printouts will be legible in the future. This standard predicts if pages can withstand exposure to light, water, abrasion, handling, long-term storage and heat. HP conducts accelerated dark storage tests on plain paper to determine if an archived document will retain its black text and color quality for decades.
• For photos: HP uses established, independent test labs such as Wilhelm Imaging Research to test ink and photo paper products. HP directly participates with industry standardization bodies, such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) , which develop procedures used to test and compare products. When independent testing isn’t possible, or the technology is so advanced that there isn’t an industry standard, HP develops its own set of tests based on extensive experience in photo printing technology and knowledge of how HP customers use photo prints. See Fade Resistance report (DOC 36KB) for more information on photo testing.

Archival Printing with HP Inkjet Printers – Producing prints that meet archival requirements – a technical white paper. Using HP Pigment Inks, HP inkjet printers produce durable prints that are suitable for applications requiring archival properties. Print durability is a key element in HP's ink and printer development programs, and the archival performance of prints made by HP inkjet printers has been certified by independent testing agencies. Learn about inkjet and dry electrophotography technologies, ink components, archival considerations for paper, durability and archival prints, and test methodologies and results.