Paper weight affects how your printed leaflets will feel and fold, so it’s very important to choose the right gsm for your leaflet printing. A wrong choice can result in a flimsy printing handing out to people or even worse – a cracked fold.
90 – 100gsm: Lightweight and Economical
This weight is typical for copy-printed materials, which are frequently used for high-volume mail shots. Such inserts are usually sent out in envelopes and sometimes included with other mailing items. While the weight is low enough to keep production costs down and allows the material to be flexibly folded, the hand feel is not impressive.
115 – 130gsm: The Reliable Middle Ground
115-130gsm paper weighs enough to look impressive yet folds up without cracking. Most tri-folds and z-folds are printed at this weight using either coated or uncoated stocks. A popular choice for many businesses due to the excellent balance of price and quality.
150 – 170gsm: A Premium Feel
A half-fold or simple bi-fold with few panels, these weights have a solid feel and are suitable for distribution as promotional literature. Although a higher weight, complex folded structures can crack at these weights, especially coated papers. Folded Leaflet Printers Gloucester is worth getting right.
200gsm and Above: Use with Care
At these high weightings the printed leaflet starts to act more like a printed card. Even a simple half-fold printed at these weights can crack. The only way to prevent this is to score the fold line before printing and confirm this with your chosen printer before placing your order.
Coated Versus Uncoated Stock
Coated papers have less ‘give’ than uncoated, meaning cracking will occur at a lower weight. While heavier weight uncoated or silk papers may not give the same solid feel as coated, they are more suited to larger, complex leaflets with many panels and will fold without cracking. If you are looking for Folded Leaflet Printers Gloucester, see https://wheatleyprinters.co.uk/printing-services/marketing-materials/folded-leaflet-printers/gloucester/.
Get the gsm right first time and save yourself time and money and a pile of cracked folds.