Don't step in a hole when choosing paper for printing projects

Paper is paper isn’t it?  Not so fast Billy Ray!

You worked hard to get you printing project into production, the least you can do is use the right paper to create the look and feel that will enhance your project.

Whether your project is a business card or brochure or even a newsletter you have options. Lots of them. Whatever you have to be printed, paper type should be a factor in your printing decision.

You always buy stuff with color in mind if you have any choice at all, don’t you?

Sure, if you have a full color job to be printed, white paper is generally the best way to go but, what weight and feel do you want that will make your project snap with appeal?

Maybe you only have a black ink job or just one color. Then the color of the paper can make a big, big difference.

Cost is certainly a factor to consider. But it is a relatively minor factor in smaller jobs, say 500 or less. You might need to add $6  to a flyer when you use colored paper versus white.  So, the best thing to do is ask your print professional the cost differences.

Your print professional usually has literally hundreds of swatch samples you can look at and touch. Paper manufacturers make up swatch books that are meant to be given away as samples of their product.

Kind of like going to the paint store and grabbing up some chips.  The paper swatch books always show different shades and weights of paper in the same swatch book.  You can touch and feel the differences.

One thing to be aware of though is that just because you pick a paper color or type from the mill’s swatch books, does not mean you can affordably use that swatch.  There’s the rub.  Mills change their product lines a little every year.  Many paper types remain popular and are produced and stocked at the local distributor where your print professional buys the stock.

Often enough, it happens that the paper mill’s product is not popular enough to be stocked locally and the distributor will have to special order it from the mill.  Chances are you would have to order far more than you need for your project to meet the minimum mill order quantity. Drat!  There is even a fair chance the mill has stopped producing the paper altogether. Double drat!!

So be sure to ask your print professional if the paper you like is a readily available item in the quantity you will need for your project.