What paper is best for my project?
That depends…the most fundamental paper characteristic you should consider is paper weight. For example, think about what characteristics a postcard should have. First and foremost, there are postal regulations that define the minimum paper thickness at .007 inches for postcards. A postcard must also be thick enough to allow it to move easily through postal equipment, and be durable enough to stand up to machine and human handling. This means that you must use a cover weight paper for postcards. Although other paper types might be acceptable for postcards, we offer postcards on a 12 point C2S (coated 2 sides) cover weight paper because this paper meets USPS specifications, and provides a durable, attractive substrate for your postcard projects.
Brochures on the other hand, are typically folded, with the “tri-fold” brochure being the most popular. Therefore, brochure paper should be thin enough to be easily folded, but thick enough to feel substantial, and have enough opacity to not allow show-through. We recommend that brochures be printed on a gloss coated 100# text weight paper for best results.
Catalogs are generally printed on text weight paper for ease of folding and stapling, but also to minimize postage costs when mailed. We recommend that catalogs be printed on a gloss coated 100# text weight paper for best results. Catalogs can either be self-cover, where the text and cover are both printed on text weight paper, or they can be plus-cover, where the cover is printed on a heavier cover weight paper. Self-cover catalogs tend to be more cost-effective, while plus-cover catalogs are desirable when extra durability of the cover is required. Catalog covers are typically printed on a 100# gloss cover paper.
Business cards are almost always printed on 14 point coated or uncoated cover weight paper, since durability is important when people handle, collect, and keep business cards for long periods of time. Conquest Graphics also offers a slightly thinner 13 point uncoated paper that contains 100% post-consumer recycled content for those who want to make the most environmentally-friendly paper choice.