15 Common Printing Papers: Characteristics, Uses & Benefits

In the printing industry, choosing the right paper directly impacts the final print quality. Understanding the characteristics and uses of different types of paper allows for more precise solutions to meet your needs and enhance the quality and visual appeal of printed materials. This article will provide a detailed overview of 15 common types of printing paper, helping you gain a deeper understanding of each paper’s advantages and ideal use cases, enabling you to make more informed choices in practical applications.Contact us to know more.

Characteristics: Smooth surface, even fiber distribution, consistent thickness, low expansion, uniform ink absorption, good elasticity, water resistance, tensile strength, glossy finish. The ink prints vivid colors with rich layers and high color fidelity.
Common Uses: Covers, flyers, brochures, catalogs, magazines, booklets, postcards, packaging boxes, product packaging, etc.
Weight: 80g, 105g, 128g, 157g, 200g, 250g, 300g, 350g, 400g, etc.

Characteristics:Kraft paper is a durable, water-resistant packaging paper, and the strongest type of paper. Typically brownish-yellow, but can be bleached. Compared to other papers, the color performance is less pronounced.
Common Uses: Packaging paper, envelopes, shopping bags, etc.
Weight: 80g, 100g, 120g, 150g, 200g, 250g, 300g, 400g, etc.

Characteristics:White cardboard is a thicker, more rigid high-quality paper made from pure wood pulp. Features high smoothness, stiffness, a clean appearance, and good uniformity.
Common Uses: Hardcover book covers, business cards, invitations, menus, packaging boxes, shopping bags, hang tags, postcards, calendar covers, etc.
Weight: 200g, 250g, 300g, 350g, 400g, etc.

Characteristics:More textured, glossy, and higher cost. Gold and silver cardstock is made by coating regular white cardboard with gold or silver ink. Due to the metallic color, it often gives off a metallic sheen and provides an upscale, elegant feel, making it more expensive.
Common Uses: Cigarettes, alcohol, food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical packaging, as well as gift boxes, greeting cards, invitations, and other high-end print products.
Weight: 125g, 150g, 270g, 320g, 370g, 420g, etc.

Characteristics:Smooth surface, thicker texture, strong reflection, and a pearl-like sheen. The difference between pearlescent paper and regular whiteboard paper is the presence of particles in the coating that create a pearlescent effect. Available in single or double-sided options, depending on the requirement.
Common Uses: High-end brochures, catalogs, luxury packaging, packaging boxes, greeting cards, hang tags, etc.
Weight: 120g, 170g, 200g, 250g, 280g, 300g, etc.

Characteristics:Specialty paper is paper produced for specific purposes and is often produced in smaller quantities. It refers to a variety of papers with unique characteristics, such as water resistance, opacity, absorbency, etc.
Common Uses: High-end brochures, luxury business cards, premium display materials, etc.
Weight: 80g, 105g, 128g, 157g, 200g, 250g, 300g, 350g, etc.

Characteristics:Also called whiteboard, powder gray, gray-bottom white, or gray copper. The front is slightly grayish-white, the back is gray, and the paper core is gray. It has moderate stiffness.
Common Uses: Single-layer paper boxes, corrugated paper boxes, paper cards, hang tags.
Weight: 200g, 250g, 300g, 350g, 400g, 450g, etc.

Characteristics:Sulphate paper, also known as plate-making sulphate transfer paper, is a semi-transparent material. It features pure paper quality, high strength, transparency, resistance to deformation, sunproof, high-temperature resistance, and aging resistance. It has strong resistance to the penetration of grease and water but poor ink absorption during printing.
Common Uses: Endpapers in bookbinding, garment hang tags, archival records, etc.
Weight: 73g, 83g, 93g, 100g, 112g, 120g, 135g, 160g, 210g, 230g, etc.

Characteristics:Double grayboard is made entirely from recycled pulp, with low density and entirely gray. It is not suitable for printing and is used solely for weight support. Its stiffness is much better than corrugated paper, and although it lacks aesthetic appeal, it is highly practical.
Common Uses: Endpapers in books, materials inside gift boxes, etc.
Weight:1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 3.5mm, etc.

Characteristics:Low-cost and easy to process, corrugated paper is a board material made by bonding face paper and fluted paper. It comes in single or double corrugation types and offers low cost, light weight, easy processing, high strength, good print adaptability, and convenient storage and handling.
Common Uses: Cartons, packaging, etc.
Weight:1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 3.5mm, etc.

Characteristics:White kraft paper is a type of kraft paper that is white on both sides. Made from bleached softwood sulfate pulp, it is available in different shades such as natural white, pure white, high white, snow white, and ultra-white. It has good tensile strength and stiffness, with multiple weight and whiteness options.
Common Uses: Shopping bags, envelope bags, file bags, hand-carry bags, shopping bags, etc.
Weight:80g, 120g, 150g, 200g, 250g, etc.

Characteristics:Matte paper, also known as uncoated coated paper, has less gloss than coated paper but offers finer and more textured printing effects. It is typically more expensive.
Common Uses: High-end brochures, color plates, matte magazines, etc.
Weight:80g, 105g, 128g, 157g, 200g, 250g, 300g, 350g, etc.

Characteristics:Double glue paper refers to paper that is coated with glue on both sides during the paper-making process to improve surface properties. It features low expansion, even ink absorption, high smoothness, tight texture, opacity, and strong water resistance.
Common Uses: Single-color or multi-color book covers, main texts, inserts, posters, maps, promotional materials, color trademarks, and various packaging items.
Weight:60g–300g,etc.

Characteristics:Dawn paper is an uncoated printing paper, typically used for high-end book printing. Also called "offset printing paper," it is designed for offset printing and can be used for relief printing as well. It has low expansion.
Common Uses: Photo printing, wedding photos, notebooks, etc.
Weight:70g, 80g, 100g, 120g, etc.

Characteristics:Light-coated paper, also known as low-weight coated paper or LWC paper, offers printing results nearly as good as coated paper but is less expensive. It is priced higher than regular printing paper but cheaper than coated paper.
Common Uses: Journals, advertisements, product catalogs, etc.
Weight:48g, 50g, 58g, 64g, 70g, 80g, etc.

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