Notes · 26 August 2020
On ordering small batches of paper
A short note on where to source paper for small studio work, when the project does not justify a full mill order.
The single thing that has improved the studio’s print work most over the last year is buying better paper.
This sounds obvious. It was not, until I committed to it. The default, for years, was whatever the local print shop had in stock, plus the occasional run on Mohawk through MOO. The result was that the paper was almost always the wrong paper for the project, because the project had not been designed for the paper.
A short list of where to source paper, in small batches, for small studio work.
G.F Smith is the default for any project where the paper is doing work the design wants noticed. Their Colorplan range is the closest thing the field has to a community standard for thoughtful paper. They will sell sample packs for almost no money. They will sell single sheets, in A4 and A3, for a few pounds each, with no minimum order. The website is well-organised. The shipping is fast.
Fedrigoni for projects that want a paper with more character. The Tintoretto Gesso range is one of the few papers that is genuinely better than its closest equivalents at G.F Smith. Smaller catalogue. More expensive at small quantities. Worth it for specific projects.
Cyclus Offset for any project that wants to ship on a properly recycled paper. 100% recycled, no chlorine, looks good in print. Most “recycled” papers are not actually recycled. Cyclus is.
The Print Space for printed proofs of work that needs a proper colour-managed print. Not a paper supplier as such, but they will print on a small range of papers and ship the proof to you within a few days. The price is reasonable.
For studios in continental Europe, Antalis and Igepa are both worth knowing. For studios in the US, the equivalent is French Paper or Mohawk’s sample shop.
A practical note. Most paper merchants will sell sample packs of their full range for very little money. Order a sample pack from each of the major suppliers in your region. Keep the swatches in a drawer at the studio. The next time a project lands that wants a printed piece, pull the drawer open and let the brief and the paper meet each other physically. The paper, more often than people realise, can shape the design.
The studios I admire most, on the print axis, all do this. The studios that ship every printed thing on the cheapest available stock all produce print work that looks like the cheapest available stock. The paper is half the design.