Paper Guide: What Works Best For Your Print

Paper Guide: What Works Best For Your Print

Paper is one of the make-or-break points in the printing process. The right paper can elevate your print and be the final touch needed to really finish your design, but the wrong paper can completely tarnish the idea you had in your head. Think of that gloss paper you can’t read from across the room due to reflections; on the contrary, that beautiful wedding invite on beautiful handmade paper that completed that rustic aesthetic. Within this article, we will break down some common paper types in printing, their best uses, feel and common GSMs. We will also explore some unique and popular paper choices that we provide at GD Print.

Understanding Basic Paper Types 

Before we break down each paper type individually, let’s take an overview of some of the standard paper types that most printers should supply, as well as the most common types that we use at GD Print.

Silk Paper

Silk paper is our standard paper that most prints are completed on. With a minor sheen, quality feel and wide GSM range, it makes it one of the most applicable options for many uses. Whilst not as reflective as gloss paper, it gives that professional feel with reduced glare, supporting good visibility from both distance and close range, while also providing excellent colour reproduction.

This makes silk suitable for a variety of uses, from posters to professional leaflets, commercial artwork and photography prints. Silk paper is affordable, but not as cheap as low-GSM uncoated paper, making it more suitable for prints you look at and admire rather than one-time-use handouts.

Uncoated

Uncoated paper is our second most popular paper behind silk. It has many of the same uses as silk but without the reflective sheen, creating a fully matte surface with a minor texture. The range of GSMs makes this paper as versatile as silk, while the matte look and lack of sheen can provide better readability under bright or reflective lighting. The price is as affordable as silk, if not slightly cheaper, depending on the printer and specific stock, and it is the second choice right behind silk. Colour reproduction can still be excellent, although colours can appear softer and less saturated than on coated silk paper depending on the stock and print process.

It can be argued that uncoated does not appear as professional as silk, and customers at GD Print generally prefer the slight sheen that silk provides. However, for cases where visibility is the most important factor, such as important safety posters, handout leaflets, prints that need space for writing on or commercial artwork and photography prints that benefit from a softer, more natural appearance, uncoated can be an excellent choice.

Recycled Paper

Recycled paper is an eco-friendly alternative to uncoated paper, that can have a more natural texture and appearance compared to standard uncoated paper. Depending on the specific stock, it can have a slightly softer colour reproduction than silk, but still has a great print quality, making it an excellent choice for eco-friendly charities or businesses conscious of their environmental impact. High-quality recycled papers can still provide excellent colour and image reproduction. [recycled-papers.co.uk]

Recycled paper is the ideal choice for promotional booklets and leaflets, prints that are not designed to be kept, but still need good visibility and readability. Recycled paper can be competitively priced compared to uncoated paper, depending on the specific stock, while using recycled fibres can reduce reliance on virgin materials and provide environmental benefits. [Environment]

Specialty Papers

Specialty papers are a series of papers that offer premium materials, finishes, unusual textures, colours, specialist properties, extreme GSMs or more. These are often unique and designed for a distinct purpose, making them less versatile, more expensive and sometimes available in more limited GSMs compared to standard paper types. However, they can be excellent for their specific use case and can give your print a completely different look and feel.

These papers will be unique to each printer and supplier, and are usually offered as specialist options or requested for a specific project. They can be significantly more expensive compared to their standard counterparts, depending on the material and finish. Here is a table of some common specialty papers, their use cases, their GSMs and whether GD Print offers them:

How Paper Affects Colour

Paper affects colour through how the paper holds the ink, its brightness level, the paper coating and multiple small factors that combine together to produce the final look. Let’s break down some of the primary reasons as to how your paper affects the colour and how you can be prepared.

Paper Smoothness, Types and Finishes

Your paper type is arguably one of the biggest factors in how your colour will present on paper. Your finish, gloss and paper type can all affect colour presentation significantly. Not only does coated paper hold and absorb ink differently to uncoated paper, but how light interacts with the paper determines how the colours are displayed, how the image is viewed from multiple angles and, since vision is fundamentally based on how light is interpreted by your retinas, what each person individually sees can also be affected by their environment.

In simple terms, a gloss or laminated paper has more light reflection and can therefore be subject to more glare and variation in appearance in sunlight, at different angles and in different environments. On the contrary, uncoated paper has less surface reflection, meaning the colour is generally less impacted by glare and viewing angles, although environmental lighting will still affect how it is perceived.

The trade-off with each is that silk, because of its surface and other factors, can look better when designed for and planned around its use case, such as close-up artistic prints where the viewing angle and controlled environment allow the colours to appear vivid and the subtle sheen can enhance the final result.

With uncoated, you may not get the same vivid appearance or surface finish that silk can provide, but the reduced reflection makes uncoated more suitable for many other areas, especially those relying on readability in changing environments, such as posters, leaflets and signage. This is one reason highly reflective finishes are less common for large outdoor displays, where glare, viewing angles and changing environmental light can become more noticeable.

Paper Brightness Levels

Paper brightness is measured using ISO brightness and serves as part of the base tone of the paper, affecting how colours appear when printed on top of it. Higher-brightness paper, like silk, provides a cleaner and brighter base that can help colours appear more vivid, while lower-brightness or more naturally coloured papers, like some recycled papers, can produce softer or more muted-looking prints.

This can be both a positive and a negative to your prints. You might be looking for vibrant and explosive colours, yet be disappointed when the colours return looking duller on that recycled paper. On the contrary, you might be looking for something dark and moody, yet when your prints return on that high-quality silk paper, the black may appear lighter or less deep than expected, with the reflective surface of the silk also affecting how the colour is perceived.

Each printer will use different papers, with different brightnesses and materials, so you may not be able to consistently get exactly the same result unless you work with the same printer and paper stock. Even then, sampling and proofing can be important when colour accuracy is critical.

However, you can have an idea of the rough brightness levels for each paper type. Here we have compiled a table to give a rough indication of what brightness you could expect from your chosen paper:

There are other “invisible” contributors as to how your colours are displayed on paper, but these are usually handled by the printer and are often outside of the user’s control. Paper ink absorption and porosity can affect how ink spreads, dries and ultimately appears on the finished print. These factors are generally handled through the printer and paper selection, so the customer may not need to directly manage them. The same principle applies to paper pH values and chemical stability, which can contribute to the longevity and stability of the print’s colours over time. However, sunlight and UV exposure are major contributors to why prints can fade over time, especially when they are designed for outdoor use. For outdoor prints, the paper, ink, finishing and level of UV protection should all be considered to maximise colour longevity. For some other actionable factors as to why your printed colours might look different, check out our article here. 

Why Print with GD Print

Choosing the right paper is an important part of creating a finished print that looks and feels exactly as intended. From lightweight uncoated stocks for everyday stationery to premium silk, gloss and recycled papers, the right combination of paper type, weight and finish can have a significant impact on the final result. At GD Print, we understand that choosing the right paper is only one part of the printing process. With over 40 years of print experience, we have developed the knowledge and expertise to help customers find the right solution for their individual requirements, whether you’re printing business cards, brochures, posters, leaflets, invitations or something more specialised.

Quality and consistency are also at the heart of our printing process. We automatically check our colours twice a day to help ensure that our printing remains accurate and consistent, giving you greater confidence that your finished products will match the quality and appearance you expect. We also offer extensive testing and customer support throughout the printing process. If you’re unsure which paper, weight or finish is right for your project, our team can help you understand your options and find a solution that suits your design, requirements and budget.

Ultimately, the best paper for your project depends on how you want the finished print to look, feel and perform. With GD Print’s experience, quality control and customer support behind you, choosing the right paper doesn’t have to be complicated. Get in touch with our team to discuss your project and find the right paper for your print, click here to contact us today.