Types of Paper for Printing

Choosing from the various types of paper available on the market is a key factor in achieving top quality digital printing. You need to choose the paper that type is best suited to bringing out the visual and textual contents of our publishing or graphic design project, a choice that should be made carefully and that will vary depending on the type of product you wish to print.

Printing paper types

Printing paper comes in many different types, each with different uses and benefits. Here are some of the most popular types of printing paper:  

Inkjet Printer Paper

This type of paper is designed for specific use with inkjet printers. There are different forms of inkjet paper which work well with inkjet ink, including photo, glossy, business card, and greeting card variants.

Laser Printer Paper

Laser paper is best used with a laser printer. This is used more in business environments for tasks such as printing documents, cheques, and mailing labels.

Matte

Matt paper is the opposite to gloss – it is coated with a matte finish to produce a paper that isn’t shiny, preventing glare. This type of paper is perfect for reports, flyers and leaflets.

Bright White

Bright white paper sheets are much smoother and are non-textured, which makes them ideal for high-quality, presentable double-sided printing.

Glossy

Gloss paper is typically used for flyers and brochures as it has a high shine. As the ink dries well there is no need for a seal varnish as the ink does not rub off.

Silk coated paper

The interim between gloss and matte, silk coated paper has a smooth silky coating, leaving it smooth to the touch but without the shine of glass paper. This type of paper can be used for many things such as magazines, books and catalogs.

Bond Paper

This type of paper is stronger and more durable than the average sheet of paper. Instead of being made from low grade wood pulp, it is mostly made up of rag pulp.
It’s perfect for letterheads, typed reports and envelopes.

Happy Learning!

Anamika Gupta

IAAN