How to choose the right paper stock for your publication

When considering stock, it is important to take into account the nature and the aesthetic aim of your publication. This can be done by asking the following questions:

1. How long do you want the product to last? Is it a weekly publication that will be read once and then recycled or is it celebrating an anniversary and therefore be kept for a long period of time and read more than once?

2. What is your publication about? Look at the content of the publication and match the feel of the stock with the content that is being communicated. If the publication is highlighting 70 years of success within the organisation the paper needs to reflect this and feel and look expensive.

3. What is the ratio of text to photos? Picture-heavy publications need be printed on stock that doesn’t allow the ink to show through on the other side of the page.

4. Does your publication align with your brand? It is important that your publication’s stock is in line with your organisation’s mission and brand. For example, if you are an environmental organisation, your stock should be recycled or eco-friendly.

Once you have analysed your publication’s content and aesthetic aims you can consider the finer details of the stock, including:

Weight and thickness

If your publication is mailed to recipients the weight of the stock is a major consideration as it affects the postage cost. Postage is calculated in specific brackets. Going several grams over a particular bracket can cost thousands of dollars more.

Opacity

The opacity describes how much light can be seen through the stock. If your publication is printing on both sides of the page and has a lot of text or pictures it is important to have good quality stock so the reader isn’t distracted by text coming through from the other side of the page. This is particularly important if your publication has advertisers, as these companies will not be satisfied if text or images are visible through their advertisements.

Brightness and colour

The brightness of the stock refers to how much light is reflected off the paper and is determined by the colour of the stock you choose. Stock is available in many types of white, including blue white, natural white and soft white. Blue whites have a higher brightness and make colours more vibrant while natural whites have a lower brightness and are better for text-heavy publications that require someone to look at the page for a longer period of time.

Finish

A stock’s finish is based on whether it is coated or not. Coated stock results in a smooth surface and is available in matt, satin or gloss, while uncoated stock has more organic look and feel. Uncoated stock also absorbs ink more. Generally coated stock denotes higher quality, however, uncoated stock is becoming increasingly fashionable for the unique feel it gives the paper.