The paper quality is vital for printed products as they often serve as the initial point of contact with your brand, product, service, or event.
Carefully choosing the appropriate paper type and weight based on your design, purpose, and budget is essential in ensuring a favourable impression and optimal results.
Paper Weights
What does GSM mean?
GSM stands for “grams per square meter.” It is a measurement used to indicate the weight or thickness of paper. The higher the GSM number, the heavier the paper.
90-115 GSM
This paper weight range is considered lightweight and is a cost-effective option, especially when working within a tight budget or when sending prints by post. The lighter weight reduces postage costs. It is commonly used for magazines, while letterheads are typically printed on 115 GSM paper.
130-170 GSM
Within this range, you’ll find our most popular paper weights. At 130 GSM, there is no show-through, meaning you won’t see the print from the other side of the page. This weight range is ideal for brochures and magazines, as the paper is sturdy enough to support stitching.
250-450 GSM
The papers in this weight range are thicker and offer a more premium feel. They are perfect for covers, certificates, high-end flyers, and leaflets. The paper in this range can be laminated for added protection, but if folding is required, it should be scored beforehand to ensure clean and precise folds.
Paper Sizes
Discover our extensive selection of products available in standard A sizes as well as a variety of commonly preferred dimensions. Should your project require a unique size, worry not! Simply reach out to us, and we will gladly provide a custom quote tailored to your specific requirements.
Unsure about the ideal paper size for your project? Consult our comprehensive list of industry standard sizes to guide your decision-making process. We are here to accommodate your needs and deliver the perfect solution for your printing endeavors.
| Standard Sizes | Width (mm) | Height (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| A0 | 841 | 1189 |
| A1 | 594 | 841 |
| A2 | 420 | 594 |
| A3 | 297 | 420 |
| A4 | 210 | 297 |
| A5 | 148 | 210 |
| A6 | 105 | 148 |
| A7 | 74 | 105 |
| Special Sizes | Width (mm) | Height (mm) |
| DL | 99 | 210 |
| Square – 210 | 210 | 210 |
| Square – 148 | 148 | 148 |
| Square – 120 | 120 | 120 |
| Square – 105 | 105 | 105 |
| Custom Size | 105 | 297 |
| Custom Size | 210 | 280 |
| Book Sizes | Width (mm) | Height (mm) |
| Novel | 127 | 203 |
| Standard | 132 | 197 |
| Demy | 138 | 216 |
| US Royal | 152 | 229 |
| Royal | 156 | 234 |
| Square – 210 | 210 | 210 |
Cover Papers
Cover papers add a front and back cover to your booklet. To add a cover, select ‘Add Cover’ in the price calculator and choose your cover paper type, weight, and finish.
The heavier the weight of your cover paper, the more rigid the booklet will be. We don’t advise adding a thick cover to booklets with low page counts, as it forces the booklet to stay open.
Some customers choose a thinner cover to give their booklet more flexibility, while others choose not to have a cover at all. This is often called a ‘self cover’ or ‘floppy cover’, since with this option the booklet is very flexible.
Note: only cover papers can be laminated.
Suitability
We offer a wide range of paper weights, but not all options are suitable for every product. But don’t worry–our cost calculator is very advanced, and it won’t let you choose an unsuitable option.
Your available suitable options may also change depending on whether your order is going to be printed on a digital or litho press. Our system always makes sure that your options fit the printer being used for your order.
Some products, like letterhead stationary, are made with uncoated paper, so you can print on the paper with your desktop printer. Digital uncoated paper can’t be overprinted on with a desktop printer. That’s why all of our letterheads are printed using a litho press.
Upgrading And Variations
On occasions, when the time comes to print an order, we may find the particular requested paper weight out of stock. Rather than delay your order, we will often print it on the next weight up. This is called ‘upgrading’ and is quite common in the industry.
Most of the time it is not an issue, but if your item is going to be sent by post, upgrading the paper can affect the postage cost.
If paper weight is of great importance to your order, please let us know before we go to print.
We do not charge extra if we need to upgrade your paper, and we never downgrade paper.
Variations in paper production
Paper is a natural product, supplied from the mill in batches. As such, there can be variations in weight or thickness from one batch to another. This can result in paper that is up to 10gsm heavier or lighter.
We may also buy our paper from different merchants at different times, which can also lead to small variations in our paper stock.
Environmentally Friendly
We’re passionate about the environment here at Leaf, and we do our best to source materials that have a minimal environmental impact.
We’re also working hard to make sure that we leave the lightest possible carbon footprint in everything we do.
For example:
- We print on environmentally certified and recycled papers
- All our papers are from sustainable sources
- We use superior quality vegetable-based inks
- We recycle all our waste products.