Paper Types 101: Choose the Right Paper for Your Items

When merchants pack and ship items, using the wrong material leads to scuffed products, high shipping weights, and smeared ink. To avoid these packaging and branding failures, you must understand different paper types. Whether you are planning the size and shape of custom boxes or selecting the correct outer finish, your base substrate dictates the final result. Here is a guide to help you choose the right paper types for your specific items.

Important Paper Types

Printing Paper

• What it is: Standard uncoated paper designed to run smoothly through commercial presses and home printers.

• Best Uses: Everyday office printing, document reproduction, and standard printing requirements.

Bond Paper

• What it is: A durable, high-rag-content paper originally used for printing government bonds.

• Best Uses: Letterheads, contracts, resumes, and official documents.

Parchment Paper

• What it is: Treated cellulose parchment paper with a non-stick, heat-resistant surface.

• Best Uses: Food packaging liners, baking, and wrapping grease-heavy items.

Kraft Paper

• What it is: Unbleached wood pulp paper known for high tear resistance.

• Best Uses: Void fill, wrapping products, and serving as the outer layer for corrugated board boxes.

Cardstock

• What it is: A thicker, heavier paperboard that holds a rigid shape.

• Best Uses: Business cards, inserts for custom boxes, and lightweight folding cartons.

Sand Paper

• What it is: Heavy paper coated with abrasive materials like aluminum oxide or silicon carbide.

• Best Uses: Smoothing physical products or raw surfaces before applying a painted finish.

Business Form Paper

• What it is: Multi-part carbonless paper (NCR) that transfers ink pressure to the layers beneath it.

• Best Uses: Invoices, purchase orders, and manual shipping receipts.

Wall Paper

• What it is: Heavy-duty coated paper backed with adhesive or designed to be applied with paste.

• Best Uses: Interior design and decorative wall coverings.

Tracing Paper

• What it is: Low-opacity paper that allows light to pass through.

• Best Uses: Architectural drafting, sketching, and overlaying packaging design concepts.

Tissue Paper

• What it is: An ultra-thin, translucent, and lightweight paper.

• Best Uses: Internal void fill, wrapping fragile retail goods, and preventing scratches inside boxes.

Book Paper

• What it is: Opaque, off-white paper designed to reduce glare for comfortable reading.

• Best Uses: Printed novels, instruction manuals, and extensive product catalogs.

Blotting Paper

• What it is: Absorbent paper manufactured without sizing (chemical coatings) to soak up liquids.

• Best Uses: Absorbing excess ink, oil, or moisture in cosmetic packaging or prepress printing.

Copy Paper

• What it is: A lightweight, inexpensive sheet meant for mass reproduction.

• Best Uses: Internal office memos, high-volume photocopies, and rough drafts.

Filter Paper

• What it is: Semi-permeable paper designed to separate fine solids from liquids or gases.

• Best Uses: Coffee filters, automotive air filters, and laboratory testing.

Newsprint Paper

• What it is: Low-cost, non-archival paper made primarily from mechanical wood pulp.

• Best Uses: Newspapers, temporary advertising flyers, and budget-friendly void fill.

Photo Paper

• What it is: Paper coated with a light-sensitive chemical or a glossy inkjet-receptive layer.

• Best Uses: Printing high-resolution photography and visual portfolios.

Box Covering and Lining Paper

• What it is: Decorative or protective paper glued directly to the rigid board of a box.

• Best Uses: Adding a specific color, texture, or interior lining to rigid setup boxes.

Toilet Paper

• What it is: Soft, sanitary tissue paper designed to dissolve rapidly in water.

• Best Uses: Personal hygiene and sanitation.

How Coated vs Uncoated Paper Affects Printing

Your ink behaves differently depending on the surface. When applying ink during printing, liquid sits on top of the clay layer on coated paper rather than soaking into the fibers. This produces sharp text, crisp lines, and bright, accurate colors.

On uncoated paper, the ink absorbs directly into the raw fibers. The colors will appear darker, softer, and less saturated. If your packaging design features high-resolution photography, intricate patterns, or tiny barcodes, coated paper prevents the ink from spreading and blurring. Uncoated paper works well for minimalist designs, bold typography, and brands aiming for an organic, natural aesthetic.

Understanding Base Material: What is GSM and Pt?

When selecting a paper material, commercial printers and packaging manufacturers use two primary measurements to determine weight and thickness.

What is GSM?

GSM stands for Grams per Square Meter. It measures the physical weight of the paper. A higher GSM indicates a heavier, denser sheet of paper. The packaging industry uses GSM primarily when measuring standard paper, Kraft rolls, and lighter folding cartons.

What is pt?

pt stands for Point. It measures the physical thickness (caliper) of the paperboard, where one point equals 0.001 inches. For example, a 16pt cardstock is 0.016 inches thick. Printers use pt to measure heavier rigid cardstock and standard retail boxes.

Here is a conversion table to help you match your items to the correct specification:

 Test Before You Order

Before you finalize your supply order, test your paper choices. The wrong stock will ruin your packaging design and cause production delays. Contact our packaging team today at sales@thepackagingworld.com to request physical paper samples, verify your dimension specifications, and get an accurate quote for your next run.