When you order printing, with many templates and sizes you will be able to choose the type of paper for your finished printed products.
These include:
- Budget (100 – 150 gsm or 60 – 80 lb)
- Standard (150 – 200 gsm or 90 -100 lb)
- Premium (250 – 350 gsm or 100 to 130 lb)
Each option shows a weight next to it. These are simply an indication of how thick the paper is. The higher the number the thicker the card.
Printers judge the thickness of the paper by how much each sheet weighs. Grams per Square Meter (gsm) or Pounds (lb) in the US and Canada.
Choosing the right paper type
If you are given a choice in the print order process, it is because your design can be printed with optimal results on 2 or more paper thicknesses and therefore it is purely a question of personal taste.
For example, many flyers can be printed on thin paper like you find in your copy machine or thicker paper to help it last longer if it is being dropped into a letterbox or handed out on the street. The choice is yours.
Business cards, on the other hand, are usually best printed on thick Premium paper so that the cards can be kept for a long time in someone’s purse or wallet. That’s why you will not see other options when ordering Business Cards.
Paper finish
Speaking of Business Cards, when you make your print order, you will have a choice in the finish of your cards.
These include:
- Silk
- Gloss
- Matte
- Uncoated
What’s the difference?
Gloss is shiny and smooth and really makes the colors of your design strong and vibrant.
Uncoated is perfect for those who want to write something on the cards like a price or note to your customers.
Matte is laminated for long lasting durability and has an dull, smooth finish without the glare while still enhancing the colors of your design.