Our lives are filled with paper. We learn to read and write on it. Half of what we buy is packaged in some form of it. Our mailboxes are stuffed with it.
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But, the world of paper is more complex than you might think. As you make decisions about your business cards, hang tags, paper packaging, and brochures, you might realize that there&#;s a lot that you don&#;t know. Don&#;t worry; we&#;re here to help.
In this article, we&#;ll demystify the world of paper and go into detail about Basis Weight, Metric Weight, and thickness&#;three different but sometimes interchangeable ways to evaluate paper&#;as well as the difference between paper, paperboard, and corrugate. Let&#;s dive in!
Paper stock is described in two ways: weight and thickness. While points typically describe the thickness of the paper, the paper weight can be measured in two ways: U.S. Basis Weight and Metric Weight (GSM).
While this all may seem pretty straightforward, unfortunately, it is not. Let&#;s take a closer look at these measurements.
As usual, the U.S. measures things differently than the rest of the world. Because of this, there are two different systems to measure the weight of paper.
Raise your hand if you&#;ve often wondered why the U.S. doesn&#;t follow the straightforward metric system! In typical fashion, the US Basis Weight system is the most confusing of the paper measurements.
Here&#;s how it works: The &#;Basis Weight&#; is defined as the weight (in pounds) of 500 sheets of paper in its uncut size (before the paper is cut to letter size, legal size, etc.). For example, if you have 500 sheets of uncut bond paper that weighs 20 pounds, it will be labeled as 20-pound bond paper.
The confusing part is that the uncut sizes do not reflect the size of the paper in its final form. For example, bond paper&#;the most common type of paper around the office&#;is 17 x 22 inches in its uncut form. So, when it&#;s cut to letter size (8.5 x 11 inches), it will still be referred to as 20-pound bond paper even though a ream of letter-size bond paper is lighter than 20 pounds.
Another baffling aspect of this type of measurement is that there is no standard for uncut size. Therefore, you cannot compare the Basis Weight of different paper types. Take a look at this chart:
Paper Type Uncut Size Available Weights Common Uses Bond paper 17 x 22 inches 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, and 36 pounds Lighter weight for printers, copiers, letterheadHeavier weight for signs, flyers, contracts, and resumes Book paper 25 x 38 inches 30 - 115 pounds Books, booklets, magazines Cover paper 20 x 26 inches 60 - 120 pounds Business cards, menus, postcards Text paper 25 x 38 inches 50, 60, 70, 80, and 100 pounds Commercial printing of letterhead, thesis papers, internal memos, and brochuresBecause U.S. Basis Weight can be so confusing, the Metric Weight is often printed next to it to avoid uncertainty.
The metric system is more straightforward because it doesn&#;t differentiate by paper type or use.
Instead, grammage reflects the actual weight of one sheet of paper cut into a 1x1-meter square. Since the same size sheet is always being weighed, regardless of the characteristics of the paper, GSM (grams per square meter) is a clear and easy-to-digest way to evaluate paper weight and thickness.
It&#;s important to note that the weight of the paper will not necessarily describe the thickness of the paper. That&#;s why knowing how paper thickness is measured is also important. (To add to the confusion, however, U.S. Basis Weight is sometimes used to describe thickness, so be aware of this as you make your paper decisions.)
In the United States, paper thickness (sometimes called its caliper) is measured using points. Each point amounts to 1/-inch. Therefore, a piece of paper with a thickness of 0.012 inches is labeled 12-point paper.
The following table provides a basic comparison of some of the more common types of paper types, thicknesses, and weights.
Still confused? Not to worry, even those within the printing and packaging industries sometimes get confused about the jargon surrounding paper. It&#;s neither simple nor straightforward; most of the time, you don&#;t need to have a deep understanding of paper measurements to fulfill your business needs.
Here are some basic things to know:
Paper-based packaging is generally made with either paper, paperboard, or corrugate. But what&#;s the difference? Briefly, corrugate is stronger than paperboard, which is stronger than paper. Let&#;s take a closer look.
There isn&#;t a technical and perfect delineation between paper and paperboard. But we&#;re going to attempt one, anyway.
Paper is typically used to describe thinner, less sturdy material than paperboard. Paper categories include Bond, Text, Cover, Book, and Index. Paper should be used to package lightweight items, like apparel or textiles.
Our 100% Recycled Kraft Mailers and our various packaging paper options are all made with paper of varying thicknesses and weights. Our 100% Recycled Padded Mailer is made with two layers of kraft paper with a layer of shredded recycled paper sandwiched inside.
The term paperboard is generally used to describe stronger, stiffer paper-based material that is 12 points or more thick. Paperboard is used to produce a variety of different types of packages, such as cereal boxes. When paperboard is made with 100% recycled material, it is often called &#;chipboard&#; or &#;bending chip.&#;
Our 100% Recycled Retail Boxes, 100% Recycled Rigid Mailers, and 100% Recycled Apparel Mailers are all made with paperboard. These are ideal for packaging art prints, documents, mid-weight apparel, or premium products.
Corrugate (sometimes referred to as &#;cardboard,&#; though this isn&#;t entirely accurate) is what shipping boxes are made out of. Corrugate consists of two layers of liner board (kraft paper that is usually around 10 points) with a layer of fluted kraft paper in the middle. This dual layer allows corrugate to have a significantly lower cost and use less material than a paperboard of equivalent strength would be. Additionally, corrugate is the most readily and easily recyclable paper-based packaging, securing the highest market pricing from reclaimers. This is partly because shipping boxes are likely mostly free of contaminants such as staples, ink, and residue.
The actual flutes in corrugate vary across two main characteristics &#; their height (which creates the thickness of the cardboard sheet) and how tightly or loosely they are waved or &#;fluted.&#; The following chart describes the most common types of flutes used in shipping:
The following chart describes the most common types of flutes used in shipping:
Flute Characteristics Good For B Flute 1/8&#; thick, 42-50 flutes per foot Resisting crushing, stacking strength. Good for folding and printing, and therefore, good for presentation style boxes such as Tab Locking and Literature Mailers. Lower price vs C or E flute. C Flute 11/64&#; thick, 39-43 flutes per foot Provides good cushioning and strong enough for medium weight boxes. An effective surface for printing (though slightly less so than B flute). E Flute 1/16&#; thick, 90-94 flutes per foot Strong crush resistance. Excellent surface for printing. Excellent for folding. Becoming more popular in ecommerce presentation boxes. Reduces box storage space.The above chart describes &#;single-wall&#; boards. Corrugated sheets can also be double- or triple-wall for added thickness and strength. Double and triple-wall corrugated flutes are described by the flutes of the two or three sheets used together. Multi-wall corrugate is typically only used in larger industrial containers and is rarely used in traditional e-commerce. Most e-commerce shipping boxes are made with single-wall B, C, or E flutes. These strike an appropriate balance of creating strong boxes that are relatively lightweight.
Our 100% Recycled Shipping Boxes are corrugated, as are our Corrugated Bubble and Corrugated Pads. Use these when shipping larger items or orders with multiple items.
With so many paper options, it&#;s easy to feel overwhelmed. That&#;s why we&#;ve worked hard to cultivate an informed shopping experience so you can feel secure in your order. Our packaging options come with thorough descriptions and suggestions for which products are ideal to be shipped in them.
When choosing your paper packaging, you must find that spot between durability and conservation. Opting for eco-friendly packaging is about reducing waste, and you don&#;t want to choose paper packaging that uses more material than you might need. However, you still want to ensure your products arrive at your customers&#; doorsteps safely and securely.
That&#;s why we offer free samples to our customers. Especially when it comes to paper and its confusing sizing, you might want to see and feel each packaging option before you choose the best ones for your products. Check out our samplings here.
If you&#;re looking at mailers to ship your goods:
Are you interested in learning more about paper pouch suppliers? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!
Lightweight paperboard and affordable price point. Ideal for shipping flat, lightweight, and non-fragile items that can be bent. 100% recycled, 90% post-consumer waste.
Available in 7 sizes
Ready to ship | Min. 25 units
Customizable | Min. 500 units
Creasing for expandability and premium presentation. Ideal for shipping bulkier apparel and gear, and soft goods. 100% recycled, 97% post-consumer waste.
Available in 4 sizes
Ready to ship | Min. 25 units
Customizable | Min. 500 units
Upcycled newspaper sandwiched between recycled Kraft paper. Extra cushioning make them ideal for shipping fragile items. 100% recycled, 20% post-consumer waste.
Available in 5 sizes
Ready to ship | Min. 10 units
Customizable | Min. 500 units
Thick 28pt paperboard for a sturdy construction. Ideal for shipping art prints and photos, and other items that should not be bent. 100% recycled, 90% post-consumer waste.
Available in 3 sizes
Ready to ship | Min. 10 units
Customizable | Min. 500 units
If you&#;re unsure about shipping boxes or mailers:
Shipping boxes are typically more expensive, space-intensive, and require assembly, which adds to your operations. Although we recommend choosing mailers when possible, shipping boxes work particularly well for:
To help you choose which box is best for your business, check out our Ultimate Guide to Custom Shipping Boxes.
Don&#;t forget! All of our mailers and shipping boxes can be custom branded.
Still not sure how to move forward? We'd love to help! Contact us.
Here&#;s a list of 21 cool things about Paper Bags compiled from a list of Frequently Asked Questions encompassing everything you need to know about Paper Bags from manufacturing to application and waste management.
1. Are Paper Bags Better Plastic Bags? From an environmental and eco friendly perspective, Paper Bags are better as they are deemed compostable and/or biodegradable and do not add to waste in landfills as is the case with Plastic Bags. From a cost and efficiency perspective, Plastic Bags are cheaper and generally offer more tensile strength to carry weight.
2. What are Paper Bags used for? Paper Bags with Handles can be used as Shopping Bags for Retail, Takeout Bags for Hospitality and any other application involving goods where a user needs a handle for ease of carrying. Paper Bags without handles can be used for carrying grocery, bottles, lighter products &#; also referred to ask SOS Paper Bags or Grocery Paper Bags.
3. What are SOS Paper Bags? SOS is referred to as Self Opening Satchel Paper Bags. These bags do not have a handle and they usually have a &#;thumb-cut&#; on one of the sides of the paper bags for convenience of opening.
4. Are Brown Paper Bags more eco friendly than White Paper Bags? Brown Paper Bags are generally made with recycled content, sometimes up to 100% recycled content, whereas White Kraft Paper Bags are generally made with Virgin Content which maybe bleached white for presentation purposes. More recycled content implies lesser use of fresh pulp thereby more eco friendly.
5. Is there a difference in strength of Brown vs White Paper Bags? The recycled content in Brown Paper Bags makes the paper bag strength weaker when compared to White Paper Bags which may be made with Virgin Pulp &#; i.e. stronger raw material on it&#;s own.
6. What are the Disadvantages of using Paper Bags when compared to Plastic Bags? Paper Bags unlike Plastic Bags are not waterproof. Paper Bags take more storage space than plastic bags. Paper Bags are more expensive than Plastic Bags.
7. Can Paper Bags be customised with branding and logo printing? Yes &#; all paper bags including paper bags with handles, SOS paper bags and Paper Bags with Windows can be custom printed with the desired artwork, logo, etc.
8. Can you make any size of Paper Bags i.e. any Length, Width or Height? Paper Bags can be made in a variety of industry standard sizes however there are minimum and maximum measurements for each i.e. Length, Width or Height. Standard Sizes are made with Automatic Machines and Custom Sizes which are beyond certain manufacturing capabilities, are generally made manually.
9. How many pounds can a Brown Paper Bags hold? Different sizes and paper bag constructions prescribe different weight carrying capacity. Brown Paper Bags (or Grocery Paper Bags) are generally referred to as their weight carrying capacity in the marketplace. For example: 20 LB Paper Bag implies it can carry up to 20LB of weight.
10. Why are Paper Bags Eco Friendly compared to Plastic Bags? Paper Bags decompose faster than plastic bags and can be recycled/repurposed thereby promoting a circular economy and reducing demand for new raw material to be produced for making new bags.
11. Are Paper Bags Compostable? Generally, yes &#; Paper Bags are considered compostable in an industrial compost unless they have a lining or a plastic film window of any kind.
12. What is better for Paper Bags &#; Composting or Recycling? Given the nature of the raw material and application &#; it is environmentally friendly to Recycle Paper vs Composting it as the Recycled Content can be re-used for another Paper based application vs fresh pulp to be manufactured into Paper. By Composting Paper, it removes the raw material from the supply and demand cycle.
13. How much do Paper Bags cost? The prices vary depending on size, raw material used, production quantity, factory location and plain or custom printing. The average price of Paper Bags from the smallest to the largest can range anywhere between US$0.04 to US$0.90 cents per bag.
14. What are Yard Waste Bags made of? Yard Waste Bags or Lawn Leaf Bags are made of high tensile strength paper sometimes double waled for extra durability.
15. What are Paper Bags made of? Generally, Paper Bags are made of recycled paper which is collected and processed in a recycling paper mill. Unless required, Paper Bags are also made from virgin pulp extracted from trees, which is a renewable resource.
16. What do FSC Certified Paper Bags mean? FSC&#; stands for Forest Stewardship Council. FSC&#; certified paper means that the paper used in the making of paper bags, is made from responsibly sourced wood fiber. It may also include Chain of Custody Certification as per FSC&#; website.
17. Are Paper Bags Reusable? If handled properly, Paper Bags can reused till their construction is intact. You can fold and store unused Paper Bags at home or in office for carrying items when you need to.
18. Where can I buy Paper Bags? End Consumers can purchase a variety of Paper Bags from a supermarket or neighbourhood variety store. Small and Medium Businesses can purchase Paper Bags from a Wholesale Paper Bags Supplier. Large Businesses which may require a large quantity of paper bags or Custom Paper Bags can procure directly from a Paper Bag Manufacturer.
19. What options does one have when ordering Paper Bags with Handles? Paper Bags with Handles including Flat Handle (made with Paper), Twisted Handle (Twine Paper), Die Cut Handle (a D shaped cut to insert fingers inside), Rope Handle or Ribbon Handle.
20. Does one need to have the same color of handles as the color of the Paper Bag? No, you can choose a different handle color from the color of the paper bag.
21. What are the types of Paper used in making Paper Bags? Paper Bags can be made with Recycled Kraft Paper (mostly Brown), Virgin White Paper, White Cardboard, Coated Paper, Offset Paper and Newsprint Paper. Paper Bags are a great alternative to plastic bags as they are environmentally friendly, are able to carry reasonable weight and custom paper bags allow brands to add their logos and other messaging to create a personalized product and allow for advertising opportunities.
For more information, please visit printed paper bag manufacturers.