Many printing inks, used to print everything from magazines to food packaging and labels, rely on solvents to be applied properly, stay in place, and achieve their vivid colors. In printing inks, solvents are used to control viscosity and allow flow without damaging printing rollers. As with paint, solvents promote optimal drying for today's high-speed printing presses.

There are many examples that show the effectiveness of solvents in the printing industry, including:

• Smudge-resistant newspaper ink means no more black fingers and unreadable print.
• Computer printer inks dry faster and are smudge resistant.