Today, ordering printing products online is becoming increasingly popular. At the same time, in order to draw up technical specifications yourself, you need not only to have a ready-made layout, but also to have some knowledge in the field of printing technologies and materials. In particular, this concerns the choice of paper. Let's look at what characteristics are worth considering if you want your printed product to meet your expectations.
Density
The first parameter that the system will request (as well as the manager in the printing house) is paper density. It is measured in grams per square meter. The higher this indicator, the thicker the paper feels to the touch. To get an idea of what to start with, let’s take standard office paper. Its density is 80 g/m2. For inexpensive handouts such as flyers or leaflets, you will need 110 g/m2 or 130 g/m2 paper. For products that require durability, for example, business cards or folders, we need indicators of 200-350 g/m2.
Plump
Another characteristic that affects tactile sensations. The ratio of thickness to mass per unit area is taken into account. The unit of measurement is cubic centimeters divided by gram. Essentially, this is an indicator of paper volume, which depends on the amount of cellulose or waste paper in the paper pulp. It is important for the customer to understand that with the same density, plump paper will feel thicker to the touch. At the same time, it will be lighter in weight.
Thus, by choosing thick paper, you can save, say, on the cost of mailings. In addition, plump paper is most often used for book printing. Using it in promotional products will allow you to stand out and attract additional attention.
Coating
In addition to density , the coating of the surface layer, which is applied during the production of paper to give it certain properties, is also important. The most common option is coating - a coating that includes chalk (hence the name). Coated paper is whiter and is often associated with glossy paper, although coated paper can also be matte. The image on coated paper looks brighter and more attractive.
Gloss is an excellent choice for any presentation materials. However, this coating also has a drawback. Due to the reflectivity of the surface, text is less convenient to read, so glossy paper is better to choose for printing products where images predominate. Matte coating is perfect for products with a lot of text
Degree of whiteness
This parameter, as a rule, is not offered as an option when ordering standardized products. However, for some products, for example, luxury photo albums, it will be very important, so you should pay attention to it and check with your manager, as well as preview samples, since shades of white can differ significantly.
Optical density
An important indicator for double-sided products. In other words, it is the degree of opacity. When using thin and cheap papers, the image may “break through” to the other side and mix with another image, which will complicate the reading of the text and “blur” the impression of the illustrations. Another reason to “feel” the paper before ordering in cases where quality is important.
Design
Designer papers are a separate group of papers. They differ in their special surface relief, texture and color/shade. They look very impressive due to various inclusions and additives. One example is "Dali bianco" paper, which resembles the texture of corduroy fabric, or "Icelite Linen", which is similar to linen. Designer papers are a great way to highlight any promotional product and attract attention, as well as demonstrate good taste. First of all, you should pay attention to them when printing representative products, in particular business cards, corporate greeting cards postcards or folders.
So, when ordering printing products, you need to take into account a number of parameters. If we are talking about simple, inexpensive products, glossy paper with a low density is quite suitable. When it is necessary to print expensive presentation materials or products intended for long-term use, it is worth considering all the characteristics. In this case, it will be very difficult to place an order without first studying the paper “live”. Therefore, it is best to contact a printing specialist who can suggest the best option.
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