Choosing the Right Paper for the Job

The Beginning 1 Minute

You’ve designed the perfect flyer (or letterhead or business card, etc.) and now just need to get your design from program to paper.  Which do you choose?  A lot of different types exist and knowing the right choice can be a little overwhelming.  Here’s a quick and easy guide for you. . . .

Weight/Type of Paper:

  • Business Cards: 
    80-100 lb cardstock
  • Letterhead, Newsletters: 
    24 lb paper
  • Presentations, Flyers, Brochures: 
    28-32 lb paper
  • Postcards: 
    75-100 lb cardstock (post office requires a minimum of 75 lb)
  • Trifold Mailer: 
    40 lb (post office requirement)
  • Event Invitations: 
    80-100 lb cardstock

A few other considerations . . .

Finish:
The most common finishes are matte, gloss, and silk, and the choice is mostly a matter of taste.  You won’t have glare or fingerprints with matte paper, but the colors won’t appear as rich or vibrant as on gloss.  Silk is a middle ground between the two.

Brightness: 
Brighter paper creates more contrast.  Standard brightness is 92; if you’re using a lot of full-color images, a minimum of 96 is preferable.

Whiteness: 
Balanced white, warm white, and blue white are the most common types of paper whiteness.  You can use balanced white for the vast majority of your projects.  Warm white can enhance the look of photography while blue white can enrich product images and black and white pictures.

Hope that helps!  Let us know of any questions or comments in the “Leave a Reply” section below.

Published by Carole Mancuso

Carole is a lead content developer for Brand Building for Small Business, a new venture, though she has been performing the art of brand building in some form since 2001. She owns and runs Instant Invitation, which also operates as Inked Invitation through Zazzle. She designs graphics, develops personal and small business templates, and works to steadily build the company’s brand. Instant Invitation was established in 2014 and currently produces six-figure annual earnings with consistent year-over-year growth. Carole spent 15 years in the corporate sector in the Communications department of now Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies (a national billion-dollar company). As Communications Manager, she was responsible for the company’s web site, online advertising, social media, and promotional email. When the desire to be close to family and closer to the sun brought her to Arizona (across the country from the company’s corporate operations), she began pursuing her own business. She taught Public Relations and Organizational Communications courses at Wilkes University and Introductory Communications at Northampton Community College. She is happiest while spending time with her husband and two children as well as their extended family and close friends. She loves the beach and all things wine.

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