Give A Sheet About Your Paper

One of the more curious things you might see when visiting Bambra is someone holding print less than an inch from their face and poring over it like it’s the last piece of paper in the world. It’s bizarre behaviour to the average onlooker. But when you love paper as much as we do, it’s standard procedure.

Bambra and specialty stock are a match made in heaven. This is why there’s no question about only using the best stock for all of our jobs. However, navigating the vast expanse of paper options can be overwhelming at the best of times. Luckily for you, Bambra is a fierce advocate for specialty stock and we live to serve.

What’s so special about specialty stock?

When we say paper, perhaps what springs to mind is the ol’ office copy sheet. This is not what we are referring to. Specialty stock, as the name would indicate, is for special jobs. And we are of the opinion that every job that we are trusted to produce is a special job. We choose paper of the highest quality, and perhaps a slightly higher price point, because it makes the job feel… well, special.

To coat or not coat?

You have probably heard the terms ‘coated’ and ‘uncoated’ thrown around, which is referring to the finish of the paper. Uncoated paper is porous, which allows the ink to sink into the paper and have a natural, raw aesthetic. They are also typically more tactile stocks, or ‘toothy’ as we like to say, as you can feel the grain.

Coated stock has a smooth finish due to a coating in the production process. The ink sits on top of the paper, making for a glossy printed image. This lends itself to brighter imagery with higher fidelity, perfect for photography or art. Depending on the purpose of your project, knowing the difference between coated and uncoated is pivotal for ensuring your designs look and feel just as you envisioned.

Thick vs Thin

Varying weights of stocks serve different purposes. For example, you wouldn’t use the same weight of copy paper for your business cards. Paper weights are communicated through GSM or grams per square metre; the higher the grams, the thicker the paper. There also tends to be a direct correlation with stock weight and how ‘prestigious’ it feels. Newspapers and copy paper have low GSM because they are throwaway items. Sentimental items like business cards or invitations tend to use thicker paper, and you’re likely to hang onto them. Deciding the weight of your paper will dictate how luxurious your project will feel.

Like print, there is a lot to know about paper. So please call or email our expert team for a more comprehensive chat about paper for your next project. Better yet, schedule a visit to get your mitts all over our paper samples.