Paper Guide from Prime Group

Paper : The World of Papers

Paper selection is an important element in print projects. Selecting a Substrate can often be very confusing; there are numerous different types and brands of paper available today. When selecting Substrate, be sure to keep in mind that the choice you make for your project will affect how the printed piece is perceived. Before placing a printing order, it is a good idea to request a paper sample for each Substrate you are considering for the project.

WHAT DISTINGUISHES PAPERS / SUBSTRATE?

Finish: The finish of a paper/Substrate is its surface texture. Uncoated and coated paper has different surface textures.

Wove or Smooth: A smooth uncoated surface.

Laid: A paper that is manufactured with textured lines on its surface. This finish is used mostly for business stationery elements, like letterhead, envelopes and business cards.

Linen:Similar to a laid finish, this Substrate has textured lines on the surface of the sheet, but they are finer and more regular than those that appear on a laid finish stock. This paper is also used frequently for business stationery.

Laser: A paper that is guaranteed to be compatible with laser printers.

Coated: A paper with a waxy finish (shiny or matte).

Uncoated: A Substrate with an untreated surface that is dull and unreflective.

Coated One Side (C1S): A cover stock that has a coating on one side and is dull on the reverse side.

Coated Two Sides (C2S): A cover stock that has a coating on both sides.

Weight: The weight of a Substrate refers to its thickness and is measured in grams (gsm). The higher the number, the more (equivalent) weight a paper has (the thicker/heavier the Substrate).

Opacity: A paper’s opacity is determined by its weight, ingredients and absorbency. A paper’s opacity determines how much printing will show through on the reverse side of a sheet. Opacity is expressed in terms of it’s percentage of reflection. Complete opacity is 100% and complete transparency is 0%.

Brightness: The brightness of a sheet of Substrate measures the percentage of a wavelength of blue light it reflects. The brightness of a piece of Substrate is typically expressed on a scale of 1 to 100 with 100 being the brightest. Most papers reflect 60-90% of light. The brightness of a Substrate affects readability, the perception of ink colour and the contrast between light and dark hues.

PAPER / SUBSTRATE SIZES

The following table shows the width and height of all ISO A and B paper formats, as well as the ISO C envelope formats. The dimensions are in millimetres:

A Sizes (mm)		B Sizes (mm)		C Sizes (mm)
4A0	1682 x 2378
2A0	1189 x 1682
A0	841 x 1189	B0	1000 x 1414	C0	917 x 1297
A1	594 x 841	B1	707 x 1000	C1	648 x 917
A2	420 x 594	B2	500 x 707	C2	458 x 648
A3	297 x 420	B3	353 x 500	C3	324 x 458
A4	210 x 297	B4	250 x 353	C4	229 x 324
A5	148 x 210	B5	176 x 250	C5	162 x 229
A6	105 x 148	B6	125 x 176	C6	114 x 162
A7	74 x 105	B7	88 x 125	C7	81 x 114
A8	52 x 74	B8	62 x 88	C8	57 x 81
A9	37 x 52	B9	44 x 62	C9	40 x 57
A10	26 x 37	B10	31 x 44	C10	28 x 40

Application examples
The ISO standard Substrate size system covers a wide range of formats, but not all of them are widely used in practice. Among all formats, A4 is clearly the most convenient for daily office use. Some main applications of the most popular formats can be summarized as:

A0,A1	technical drawings, posters
A2,A3	drawings, diagrams, large tables
A4	letters, magazines, forms, catalogues, laser printer and photocopying machines
A5	note pads
A6	postcards
B5,A5,B6,A6	books
C4,C5,C6	envelopes for A4 letters: unfolded (C4), folded once (C5), folded twice (C6)
B4,A3	newspapers, supported by most copying machines in addition to A4

One of the main advantages of the ISO standard paper sizes becomes apparent when using photocopying machines:

Envelope formats
For postal purposes, ISO 269 and DIN 678 define the following envelope formats:

Format	Size (mm)	Content Format
C6	114 x 162	A4 folded twice = A6
DL	110 x 220	A4 folded twice = 1/3 A4
C6/C5	114 x 229	A4 folded twice = 1/3 A4
C5	162 x 229	A4 folded once = A5
C4	229 x 324	A4
C3	324 x 458	A3
B6	125 x 176	C6 envelope
B5	176 x 250	C5 envelope
B4	250 x 353	C4 envelope
E4	280 x 400	B4

The DL format is the most widely used business letter format. Its size falls somewhat out of the system and equipment manufacturers have complained that it is slightly too small for the reliable automatic enveloping, therefore DIN 678 introduced the C6/C5 format as an alternative for DL.

To discuss your Substrate requirements call Adrian on 01623 499949, alternatively use our enquiry form

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