Knowledge Base

We have been asked endless questions about our printing capabilities, we've created what we call The Knowledge Base a comprehensive breakdown of what goes into making your printed item possible, it's not as simple as you may think. Alot of decision making and checks must be done before you see the printed item in your hands.

What will I learn?

 You will learn how raw materials like ink and paper goes into the printing process and the possible outcomes each has.
 

Can I use the information provided here to create an order?

Yes, this page can help you decide what your item outcome will be.

Paper Weight

Designing your call card or invitation is one step, but have you ever placed thought into the material weight when it comes to printing. This is a crucial part of the design, below we have placed a comprehensive guide to material paper weight we have within our inventory.

What is GSM?

The term GSM is the universal measurement for weight and density of paper and cardstock, the measurement is calculated using a sheet of material the size of a square meter (m²). This measurement is used globally by designers to printeries to complete a computer designed illustration to final product.

What types of GSM are there?

Each printery has their limits or preference, here at Rey Printery & Supplies we cater from 75gsm to 400gsm in different material finishes. You can feel the difference from a printed call card that was made from 180gsm vs 400gsm, the difference comes from rigidness or stiffness.

We cater to the listed gsm below:

• 75gsm
• 120gsm
• 180gsm
• 240gsm
• 300gsm
• 400gsm

What can I print on when it comes to the list above?

You can easily print a call card from 300gsm or 400gsm, the difference comes from the feel, something premium and rigid would be a higher gsm weight, the number Infront of the term gsm impacts the thickness, paper for example is 75gsm and won't be used for call cards since they are too flimsy and prone to bending.

75gsm is grate for your photocopies and average flyers, they are cheap and easy to fold and cut, these are found in the typical office space in photocopying machines or at home.

120gsm is considered light cardstock, they are found in craft stores and most stationery shops. These are used on premium flyers, broachers, posters, letterheads and book pages.

180gsm still hovers in the light cardstock field, these are used for book pages, invitations, scrapbooks, and crafting projects, they are rarely found in presentation sheets, book pages, call cards, invitations and tickets.

240gsm we arrive at the medium cardstock field, these are for post cards, menus, sturdy covers, tickets, call cards, invitations and in many crafting projects which require a manageable but thick cardstock.

300gsm is where we shift gears, this cardstock weight is considered heavy weight, from Business cards, premium invitations and magazine covers.

400gsm is considered extra heavy cardstock and touches on the board territory, for display material to ultra-premium printing this field isn't a slouch it shows in the thickness.

Paperweight above 400gsm.

There is cardstock above 400gsm, but these exist for very special production like luxury, hardcover books or packaging.
We do not cater for cardstock past 400gsm, you may need to visit a factory which specializes in packaging materials or book manufacturing.

Here are examples:

• 450gsm
• 600gsm
• 700gsm
• >1000gsm

Material Coating

Flip a coin and it lands either side, that's because a coin has two sides. Paper and Cardstock material have the same number of sides, opening a magazine cover would have a glossy finish to the front and the inside back cover would have a matte or silk finish. This isn't because both sides weren't printed on, it's because the material used was created for that purpose.

What is the difference?

Printeries offer best of both worlds, if you wanted your invitation printed dual sided you should pick CS2 as this option coats both sides of the material in glossy finish. However, if your invitation requires single sided printed you can cut costs by asking for CS1, this option only coats the front of the material in gloss finish while keep the back in a matte finish. If you require a matte or silk finish, then you'd be looking at regular materials.

We cater to the listed coating below:

• CS1 (single side coated)
• CS2 (dual coated)

Paper Material

We have an extensive inventory of Materials to choose from, CS1 and CS2. Pairing this with the material finish and gsm you can make your presentation work pop.

Material Finishes

Presentation makes a difference, if you printed a wedding invitation on matte and compared it to glossy the difference would be clear, if you printed the same invitation on Ultra Glossy, it would be a leap in quality as Ultra Glossy is a mirror shin, each finish has their use case.

Here are examples:

• Matte
• Silk
• Glossy
• Ultra Glossy

Matte is generally for reports, documents, minimal designs, they are cheap but are dull in colour reproduction, these finishes are for a one time use or handout item.

Silk is used for Magazines, premium flyers and invitations, they preserve the colours for reproduction.

Glossy and Ultra Glossy finishes are for Photo prints and High-end Production materials.

Ink Material

Ever wondered what the difference between your casual home printer vs professional printer gives, we have provided a general information panel informing you of the materials they use and how it impacts the final results of a printed design.

Ink Finishes

it comes down to ink, some are vivid and others are dull, you can see the difference if you printed in the following 3 examples.

Here are examples:

• Dye
• Pigment
• Toner

Dye is widely common for home or office printer use, it's general cheap and works great for office documents and some crafting ideas, but they cannot show accurate colours when it comes to photo printing, they are also prone to bleeding or smudging when wet, this is one of the major weaknesses. Having direct sunline on a printed document with this ink would also create a bleaching or fading effect, the sun destroys the colour dye overtime typically in a few days.

Pigment is commonly used in reproduction printers or commercial printers, its colour accuracy is remarkably accurate when paired with the correct paper material and printer. These inks are more expensive since they contain a solution in them which makes their colours pop unlike dye, the ink also has the ability to be water resistant, but they are known for its ability to hold colour accuracy for decades without fading. Preservation or Art pieces use Pigment ink to keep the original colour design for multiple decades and with care up to 100years.  

Toner found in home offices and businesses, these are used for fast and accurate text printing, they aren't used in photo or coloured printing applications because their colour accuracy is not as sharp on the RGB curve as pigment or dye, Toners strive with document printing because of their sharp text replication.

What is RGB & CYMK

RGB (Red, Green & Blue) is a colour model used for digital displays such as computer monitors, TVs, and phones. It works by mixing light from these three colours to produce a wide range of hues. On a white background (like a screen or paper), lighter colours appear because less colour is added, while darker colours appear when more colour is added.

CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow & Black) is the standard used for printing, where RGB uses light based on screens, CMYK uses subtractive colour mixing. Cyan, Magenta and Yellow are the primary ink colours and Black is a key colour which creates dark shadows or colours since CMY can't create a rich dark colour when mixed alone.

Hot vs Cold Lamination

if you didn't know there are two different types of lamination finishes, we're here to inform you that the two aren't so different besides how they are applied.

What should I use?

Depending on the item you're laminating, you need to take a step-by-step decision.
if the item is a paper document you want protected but later have the ability to remove you should use Cold Lamination, while Hot Lamination creates issues later on if you do decide to remove the item such as tearing or pealing.

Here are examples:

• Cold
• Hot

Cold lamination uses pressure-sensitive adhesive to apply the laminate film to items, no heat is used. This is great to laminate photos which were printed using Glossy or Ultra Glossy Materials, these materials are highly sensitive to temperature chances.

Hot lamination uses heat to melt a thinly applied adhesive which is found on the laminate film, they melt onto and adhere to each other and the item inside the laminate film, removing the film would damage the item inside since the heat melted the adhesive onto the item, this method is used for office documents and plain phot paper or cardstock items.

Lamination Thickness

Why you should look into the thickness, the laminate material offers a protection from general use and protects from the environment, some laminate sheets are thinner than others, if the material is meant to be on display it should be offered the maximum protection from weather. However, if an item in your pocket like an ID card is used often you should break even between thick and thin since it's handled often. Thickness helps against scratches and heavy wear and tear.

What is the different thickness?

The number Infront of the abbreviation mil is the thickness measured in microns, 1mil ≈ 25 microns or 0.001 inch.
The thicker the lamination film the stiffer and more protective the laminate finish.

Here are examples:

• 3mil
• 5mil
• 7mil

3mil is used on documents, menus or items that need to be handled on a day-to-day basis, it keeps the item flexible.

5mil is used for certificates, ID cards, signs or posters, these aren't handled as much but it gives a more durable but not rigid protection over the item.

7mil is considered stiff, items laminated would be badges, cards or posters, it gives a thicker protection layer.