How to Pick the Right Paper for Your Print Job

Business cards, letterheads, flyers and certificates are often the first thing a client holds from your company. The paper decides how that moment feels: a card that bends in a wallet, a letterhead that jams the office printer or a flyer too thin to keep all send the wrong message. This guide explains the three choices behind every printed item we make at TePee - X: paper weight, coated or uncoated paper, and the finish. It also shows what we recommend for each item in our printed-paper range.

Paper weight: what the gsm number means

Paper weight is written in gsm, grams per square metre. The higher the number, the thicker and stiffer the sheet. As a rough guide:

• 80–100 gsm: everyday office paper. Right for letterheads, envelopes, notepad sheets and inserts that go inside a pack.

• 130–170 gsm: a firmer sheet for flyers and folded brochures that people take away and read.

• 200–250 gsm: light card for premium flyers, menus, certificates and brochure covers.

• 300–400 gsm: card for business cards, presentation folders and gift vouchers that must feel solid in the hand.

Heavier is not always better. A letterhead heavier than 120 gsm may not feed through an office printer, and a brochure on thick card is hard to fold neatly. Choose the weight that suits how the item will be used.

Coated or uncoated paper

Coated paper has a smooth, sealed surface, so the ink stays on top and photos and colours come out sharp and bright. In Egypt it is often called couché. It suits flyers, brochures, folders and anything with photographs.

Uncoated paper has a natural, softer surface that absorbs the ink. Colours look calmer, but it is easy to write on and runs through office printers without smudging. Letterheads, envelopes, notepads and forms work best on uncoated paper.

Finish: matt, gloss or textured

Many printed items can be laminated: a thin clear film over the print that protects it from scuffs, water and fingerprints. You choose the look:

• Matt lamination: soft and non-reflective. Easy to read under office lights, resists fingerprints and gives a modern, understated look. Our first choice for business cards and presentation folders.

• Gloss lamination: shiny and vivid. Photos and bright colours stand out, and it wipes clean. Good for photo-heavy flyers and brochures.

• Gloss on the logo only: a clear gloss layer on your logo over a matt card. The contrast catches the light and makes a simple design feel premium.

• Textured paper: specialty certificate papers with a textured surface. They need no lamination and give a certificate a formal feel.

• No lamination: the natural feel of the paper. Choose it for anything people write on, and for the easiest recycling.

Which paper for which item

• Business cards: 350 gsm with matt lamination is the safe, professional choice; 400 gsm feels premium. Printed on one or both faces, with straight or rounded corners. Cards come in boxes of 100, and a single box is a normal order.

• Letterheads: A4 on 100 gsm uncoated paper feels clearly better than office paper and still runs through office printers. Choose 80 gsm for everyday letters or 120 gsm for a premium letter, and test it in your own printer.

• Envelopes: DL (11 x 22 cm) takes an A4 letter folded in three; C5 takes an A5 sheet flat or an A4 folded once; C4 takes A4 documents flat, which suits contracts and certificates. Some sizes come with a window, so the address on your letter shows through. Match the paper to your letterhead so the set looks like one family.

• Flyers: A5 is the everyday size, A6 works as a handout or pack insert and A4 suits detailed information. Use 130–170 gsm for handouts and 200–300 gsm for a flyer that should feel like a card. Gloss for photos, matt for text-heavy designs, no lamination if people will write on it.

• Tri-fold brochures: 130–170 gsm folds cleanly and sharply. From about 200 gsm the paper looks more premium, but it must be creased before folding or the fold can crack, especially under lamination.

• Notepads: A4, A5 or A6 pads of 25, 50 or 100 sheets on smooth uncoated paper, so every pen writes cleanly. Pads of 25 or 50 sheets suit conference packs; 100 sheets suit a desk.

• Presentation folders: 300–350 gsm card holds a stack of documents without bending; 250 gsm suits lighter packs. Matt lamination keeps the cover clean, and the inside pocket has a slit for a business card.

• Certificates: A4 or A3 on 200–300 gsm. Smooth coated paper shows photos and colour; a textured specialty paper gives a formal feel. If every certificate carries a different name, send all the names in one list with the exact spelling.

• Stickers and labels: paper stickers for indoor use, packaging and envelopes; vinyl for anything that meets water or daily handling; transparent stickers for glass and clear packaging; kraft for a natural, eco look. Choose the cut: sheet, kiss-cut (the sticker is cut but the backing stays whole, so it peels off easily) or die-cut (sticker and backing cut to your shape).

• Gift vouchers: 300–350 gsm so they feel valuable. Put the terms on the back and choose numbered vouchers, so every voucher can be tracked when it is used.

We also print menus, posters, invoice and receipt books, and bound books. The same weight and finish choices apply.

Greener choices

• Choose the lightest weight that does the job: less paper, the same result.

• Skip lamination where you can. Plain paper is easier to recycle than paper with a plastic film.

• Kraft stickers and uncoated papers give a natural look that suits eco-minded brands.

• Order what you need. Printed paper has no minimum at TePee - X, so you can print a smaller run and reprint when a phone number or a job title changes, instead of throwing old stock away.

• If recycled paper matters to your company, ask your account manager whether it is available for your item.

Before you order

• Send your logo and artwork as vector files (AI, EPS, PDF or SVG). Our guide on vector vs raster files explains why.

• Tell us the size, the paper weight, the finish, one or both faces, and the quantity of each item.

• Keep one look across the set: the same colours and paper family on business cards, letterheads, envelopes and folders make your company look consistent.

• Check every name, number and email address on the mock-up letter by letter before you approve it. Nothing is printed before your approval.

Ready to print? Request a quotation at www.tepee-x.com/quote and you will receive it the same working day.