HOW TO CHOOSE
THE RIGHT PAPER

Things to Consider

Function

Consider if your paper will need to be: printed, folded, mailed, hung, or cut. Will it function as packaging with wear and tear? Does it need to make a bold & memorable impression?

Sustainability

Do you love paper products because they are renewable & recyclable? Consider using recycled or hemp certified papers made with 100% emission-free hydropower for your project.

Print Type

Will you be having your paper professionally printed? Printed at home? Not all papers will work with all printers. If you are unsure, we recommend buying a sample pack to test print.

Color & Texture

Is the mood of your project neutral, dark and moody, or bursting with color? Do you love seeing the history of recycled paper in the flecks?  

Let's Start With Function

How tough do you need it to be?

Thin Basis Weights

Includes GSM

50 lb. Text / 20 lb. Bond

75

60 lb. Text / 24 lb. Bond

90

70 lb. Text / 28 lb. Bond

105

80 lb. Text / 32 lb. Bond

118

100 lb. Text

148

Common Uses

letterhead
resumes
insert sheets
decorative purposes
simple flyers
origami
paper quilling
newsletters
hand-printed linocut
woodblock printing
zines
risograph printing

Traits

easy to fold/roll without scoring
can use in most home printers

Medium Basis Weights

Includes GSM

65 lb. Cover

176

80 lb. Cover

216

Common Uses

invitations
posters
business cards
layered greeting cards
scrapbook pages
decorations
crafting
cutting designs
embossing
postcards
certificates
collagraph prints (80#)
monotype
screen printing
risograph printing
paper marbling

Traits

folds easily (scoring recommended for cleaner fold)
punches and cuts well
heavier feel

Premium Basis Weights

Includes GSM

100 lb. Cover

270

110 lb. Cover

298

Common Uses

signs
posters
frame matting
luxury greeting cards
mixed media projects
wedding invitations
postcards
diplomas
menus
index cards
manila folders
luxury business cards
letterpress
tags
collagraph prints (100#)
engraving
embossing
intaglio/etching
stencil
lithography
screen printing
typography
watercolor
monotype

Traits

must be scored before folding
not easily printed at home
sturdy

Ultra Basis Weights

Includes GSM

125 lb. Cover

338

130 lb. Cover

352

130 lb. Double Thick Cover

352

Common Uses

luxury invitations
cards
letterpress
luxury business cards
luxury packaging (boxes, bags)
hang tags
menus
coasters
watercolor

Traits

must be scored before folding
not easily printed at home
very sturdy

SHOP THIN
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Basis Weight 101

Weighing 500 sheets of any grade of paper in its proper basic size will determine its basis weight. In other words, 500 sheets of 25x38” 70 lb. text paper will weigh 70 pounds.  

The standard basic size used to measure Bond, Text, and Cover papers are different. One way to compare weights across grades is to use Grams per Square Meter (GSM). This reduces the need to call out the grade when specifying basis weight.

Grade Standard Basic Size

Bond

17"x22"

Text

25"x38"

Cover

20"x26"

Bristol

22.5"x28.5"

Glossary of Paper Terms

Paper Weights & Grades

BOND

High-quality writing papers, historically used for printing bonds and legal documents. Bond papers are made to withstand handling and filing, the principal requirements are strength and durability. Bond paper may be made from either cotton or wood pulp and is the primary grade used for office & school copiers.  

BRISTOL

General term for cardstock made for stiffness unlike cover paper which is made to fold. Bristols are 0.006" or greater in thicknessand used for indexing, art prints and painting, post cards, covers, etc.  

COVER

Heavyweight, fine quality, coated and uncoated printing papers made with good folding characteristics. Cover papers are used for the covers of brochures and catalogs, and also for such products as folders, brochures, cards, posters, menus, and more.    

TEXT

High-quality uncoated printing papers made in a wide variety of colors and textures. Text weights are primarily for thee inside pages of books, brochures, and catalogs. Text is usually made with a matching cover.  

Paper Finishes (Texture)

FINISH

Paper surface characteristics, mainly imparted by mechanical means.
 

ANTIQUE FINISH

Rough or natural paper finish. Obtained by operating with reduced pressure during wet pressing and calendering.

EMBOSSED

Patterned texture imparted to paper through an embosser. Common embossed patterns simulate burlap, felt, linen and leather.

LINEN

Finish resembling linen fabric. Obtained off-machine embossing a continuous web with an engraved steel roll.

MATTE

A coated finish with good smoothness, but devoid of gloss.  

PARCHMENT

A marble-like, undulating surface resembling true parchment, a writing surface made from animal skins. French Parchtone was introduced in 1949 as the first 100% animal-free printable parchment paper made entirely from wood pulp.

SMOOTH

A uniform, uncoated paper surface that feels smooth and holds ink evenly. A paper’s smoothness is measured by an air leak test called sheffield smoothness. The smoother the surface, the lower the Sheffield Smoothness value.

VELLUM

Dull, toothy finish that is somewhat smoother than antique finish.  

FELT SIDE and WIRE SIDE

The side of the paper that is in contact with the wire on the paper machine is called the wire side, as distinguished from the felt or top side. The two sides can have a slightly different finish.

Paper Furnishes (Pulp)

RECYCLED FIBER

Pulp fiber derived from recovered materials, other than mill broke, and incorporated in the fiber mix of a finished product.  

POSTCONSUMER RECYCLED WASTE FIBER (PCW)

Pulp fiber that has been used by consumers (schools, offices, stores, residences) and subsequently diverted from the solid waste stream for re-use.  

PRECONSUMER RECYCLED FIBER

Pulp fiber that has not met its intended end-use by a consumer and is collected for re-use in manufacturing. Preconsumer materials in papermaking includes envelope clippings and trimming from the printing process. Preconsumer recycled fiber does not include mill broke.

Paper Properties

ACID-FREE

Paper manufactured in an alkaline environment. Acid-free paper typically has good aging characteristics and has no detrimental effect on materials that are in contact with it.
All French paper is acid-free and can be considered archival quality.  

BRIGHTNESS

Brightness is measured as the percentage of light in a narrow spectral range reflected from the surface of a sheet of paper. It is not necessarily related to color or whiteness. 

CALIPER

Thickness of a paper sheet, measured in thousandths of an inch. A micrometer is used to measure caliper.

ELEMENTAL CHLORINE FREE (ECF)

Pulp produced without using elemental chlorine for bleaching. This method significantly reduces the amount of harmful waste produced by the pulp bleaching process and prevents carcinogenic byproducts.  
All French papers are produced ECF. 

GRAIN DIRECTION

Direction of predominant fiber alignment, usually the machine direction. The directionality of paper must be taken into account in measuring such paper strength properties as tear, tensile, and folding endurance. Grain direction can also influence the curl of a cut sheet if it is stretched or moistened.  
French grain directions are indicated by the dimensional order of the sheet size. For example, 25x38 would indicated the grain is long in the 38" direction. If the size is listed as 38x25, the grain will be long in the 25" direction.

OPACITY

Measure of the percentage of light passage through a sheet of paper. The more opaque a paper is, the less show through there will be from printing on the sheet below.

SIZING

Treatment of paper to resist liquid penetration (ink, paint, water), either by means of wet-end additives or by surface application (starch solution).  
All French papers have received a sizing surface treatment.  

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PRINT TYPE & COMPATIBILITY
COLOR & TEXTURE
FIBER OPTIONS & SUSTAINABILITY
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