Goodbye Paper Jargon: Our Standard Stocks

Choosing paper can be confusing when every printer uses its own codes and brand names. At Quinprint we name our papers by how they feel, so you can choose without decoding trade terms. A name always means the same thickness on every product: thick card on a postcard is the same thick card on a business card. The technical term sits beside each name for designers and anyone comparing printers.

Two terms you will still see. C2S means coated two sides: both sides are smooth, so colour prints crisply front and back (postcards, business cards). C1S means coated one side: smooth outside for printing, uncoated inside so a pen writes cleanly, which is why we use it for folded greeting cards.

Paper

Paper (text weight) is thinner and more flexible than card. It is used for flyers, brochures, booklets, letterhead, and notepads. Each paper comes in the finishes below where we stock it.

• Everyday paper · 20 to 24lb bond: copy paper, for documents, forms, and stationery. Also in blue, beige, salmon, and goldenrod.
• Light paper · 60lb text: a step up from copy paper. Our notepads are printed on it.
• Medium paper · 70lb text: a sturdy letter page, uncoated or silk. Our everyday flyer paper.
• Heavy paper · 80lb text: a good brochure page, in gloss, silk, dull, or uncoated.
• Extra-heavy paper · 100lb text: close to light card, for premium brochures, booklets, letterhead, and calendars; gloss, silk, or uncoated.

Card

Card (cover weight) is thicker and stiffer. It is used for business cards, postcards, rack cards, folded cards, and covers.

• Light card · 10pt: a sturdy postcard that still bends easily.
• Standard card · 12pt: about as thick as a playing card. Also made coated outside and plain inside (12pt C1S) for folded cards.
• Thick card · 14pt: a typical business card.
• Extra-thick card · 16pt: a premium business card that feels solid in the hand. With soft touch lamination (1.7 mil a side) it finishes at about 19pt.
• Thick uncoated card · 130lb cover: soft and natural, like a wedding invitation, and easy to write on.

Finishes

• Gloss: shiny, so photos pop.
• Silk: smooth with a soft sheen and less glare.
• Dull: flat with no glare, so long text reads easily.
• Uncoated: natural, and takes a pen.

Looking for matte business cards? Our digital press uses toner, which leaves a slight sheen wherever it prints, even on uncoated card. For a true matte look, choose soft touch or matte lamination. Thick uncoated card gives a natural matte feel when the design leaves a lot of white paper.

Why this approach works

• Easy to understand: names that describe the feel, with the technical term beside them.
• Consistent: the same name means the same thickness on every product.
• Brand-free: each name covers the trade stocks that match it (for example, heavy paper, gloss is an 80lb gloss text from mills such as Flo or EuroArt). We choose the stock; your price and quality stay the same.

Need help choosing?

If you’d like help picking the right paper or card for your next project, we can recommend options that suit your design, quantity, and budget, and show you samples at the shop on Lady Hammond Road.