# - may represent "number," as in "Coated #1,"
or "pounds," as in 70# text paper.
Acid free - Made in a neutral PH process that increases
the longevity of the paper.
Basis Weight - Traditional paper basis weights common to
each grade of paper are based on measurements determined hundreds
of years ago by Arab papermakers. They represent the finished weight
of a ream of paper in a size specific to the grade of paper. (These
sizes are usually "parent sheet" sizes, not cut-size reams.)
Therefore, weights are not always the same between grades. For example,
a 20# writing/script paper is not less than half the weight of a
50# text paper but, rather, similar to it. A 24# writing paper is
generally equivalent to a 60# text, while a 28# writing paper is
generally equivalent to a 70# text paper. That's because the size
of paper being weighed by the ream is different for text than for
Blade coating - A process in which paper is given a clay
coating that is spread by a blade that covers the width while the
paper runs underneath it, rather than the paper running through
a bath of clay coating.
Blow-in cards - The advertising postcards found slipped
into the pages of most magazines.
Brightness - A technical measurement of the light reflected
back from the paper, with 100 being the highest brightness. High
bright papers also usually look the whitest, although visual comparisons
between papers of different brightness are often difficult unless
they are side-by-side. Even then, close brightnesses are difficult
Calender - A series of rollers that squeeze the finished
paper, creating a harder, firmer surface that often looks somewhat
Carton - Refers to a standard box of paper. The number of
sheets in a carton varies for large printing sheets, but typically
is 10 reams for cut-size papers (e.g. copy paper in a retail store).
Some office products stores have recently introduced 5-ream "cartons,"
so it's wise to double-check how much paper to expect in your supplier's
Coated paper - Paper with a clay coating, which provides
a better printing surface for crisper, more brilliant colors.
Commodity paper - High volume paper, usually white, that
forms a large percentage of paper sales, including offset and copy
paper. High volume production compensates for commodity grades'
slimmer profit margins.
Converter - A company that buys raw finished paper rolls
to make into value-added products such as envelopes, continuous
forms, and cut-size sheets.
Cover weight - A specific grade, or type, of paper that
varies in thickness but usually is a weight typically used for business
cards, report covers, and stiff brochures.
Cut size - Ready-to-use paper sizes such as 8-1/2x11and
11x14, up to 17x22 (which, when folded, becomes 8-1/2x11).
Deinking - The process by which ink is lifted off used paper,
which is then broken back down into fibers to be recycled into new
Dirt Count - The average amount of dirt specks in a specific
size of paper area. Both virgin sheets and recycled sheets have
"dirt," although recycled paper usually has a slightly
higher dirt count than virgin paper. However, it rarely affects
recycled paper's quality and use.
EPA - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which publishes
guidelines for minimum recycled product content, for use by federal
agencies for purchasing standards. Most U.S. state and local governments,
as well as businesses and organizations, have voluntarily adopted
these content standards, as well. EPA also advocates source reduction
practices, as well as other aspects of environmentally sound products,
such as reduced toxics, energy savings, and biomass projects. In
addition to providing guidance on environmental products, EPA regulates
many aspects of paper industry production, including emissions (air,
water, land) and solid waste management.
Finish - The physical "look and feel" of the paper's
surface. May include raised designs such as "linen" and
"laid," or a smooth surface.
Forms bond - Paper converted into continuous forms.
Freesheet - Paper made from pulp created in a Kraft process
that has removed the lignin from the pulp. Freesheet paper has more
longevity than groundwood paper which still contains lignin (such
FSC - Forest Stewardship Council, an independent, international,
environmentally and socially oriented forestry certification organization.
It trains, accredits and monitors third-party certifiers around
the world and works to establish international forest management
standards. Although other organizations, including forest and paper
associations, offer some types of certification systems, FSC is
the only one that is verifiably performance-based, has widespread
market acceptance, and has established credibility with the major
environmental and social organizations worldwide.
FTC - U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which publishes guidance
to help companies clarify which kinds of product labeling language
would be regarded as appropriate and which misleading, with potential
for FTC investigation.
Groundwood - Paper made from pulp created in one of several
processes that use virtually the whole tree. Originally, the tree
was simply ground up. Now there are also chemical and heating processes
used in pulping. Groundwood paper retains the lignin from the original
trees, which causes the paper to yellow and deteriorate relatively
House Sheet - The standard paper kept on hand by a printer
in each grade. While the printer will usually be able to get most
papers customers ask for, house sheets are most easily available
and, because they are bought continuously in large quantities, usually
offer the best price.
Kraft process - A chemical pulping process that cooks down
the tree to remove lignins, retaining the fibers for papermaking.
Freesheet papers are made in a kraft process.
Lignin - The "glue" that binds the cells of the
tree and creates its structure. Approximately one-third of the tree
Making Order - A paper that is not available off a supplier's
shelf, but must be ordered from a mill. The mill and supplier will
advertise the paper's availability, but customers must buy enough
to warrant production, usually a truckload or more.
Opacity - The amount of "show through" in a sheet,
or how much of the text and design on one side of a paper shows
through on the other side.
Pallet - A standard amount of paper that fits on a wooden
pallet. In cut-size sheets, a pallet equals 40 cartons.
Parent-size - Sheets of paper larger than cut-size. Parent-size
sheets are often 22x35 or 25x40.
Postconsumer - Paper that has reached its intended end-user
before being discarded. For example, paper recovered from curbside
collections is considered to be postconsumer, but paper scraps from
a printshop are not. The printshop is not the "intended end-user,"
but is adding value to the paper that will eventually reach the
Private Label - Paper made by a paper mill to be sold under
a customer's brand name rather than the mill's. The paper may be
the same as one sold under the mill brand name, or the private label
customer may require unique specifications for its paper. Examples
include copy paper that carries the Xerox label, made at several
different mills, and office papers that carry the Hewlett-Packard
label. The private label customer does not own or operate the paper
mill, only contracts with it for paper marketed under the customer's
Quick Printer - A printer who uses small sheet-fed presses,
usually using only cut-size papers. Quick printers specialize in
small print jobs such as resumes, business cards, small quantities
of stationery and envelopes, brochures, and provide quick turn-around.
Ream - Most often 500 sheets, although it can be less (often
250) for heavy papers.
Recycled - Paper made, at least in part, from recovered
scrap paper. There is no universally accepted definition for "recycled,"
so legal requirements vary by specific circumstances. EPA requires
postconsumer content in "recycled" papers bought by federal
agencies, but FTC does not require postconsumer content in papers
labeled "recycled." Most U.S. governments and companies
use EPA's standards, but European producers do not isolate postconsumer
Recovered - Scrap paper collected for remanufacturing into
recycled paper. EPA's definition for "recovered," which
is most widely accepted, does not include scrap created in the initial
papermaking process, but it does include scrap created in a mill
after the paper comes off the paper machine.
Rolls - The same as "Web."
Sheets - Many printing presses work with sheets of paper,
usually in large standard sizes such as 25x40 and 22x35 or, at a
quick printer, cut sizes up to 17x22. Multiple project pages are
usually printed on each sheet, then cut or folded to produce the
end product. Different size sheet-fed printing presses can be used
for small jobs such as a ream of resumes or 1000 business cards
up to large print jobs such as thousands of brochures or a small
Sludge - The waste material left over after pulping and
deinking. Although some sludge is produced in the virgin papermaking
process, far more is produced in the deinking (recycling) process.
Recycling breaks recovered paper down into fibers, which are sent
to the paper machine for new production, and other materials, which
drop into the sludge. These "other materials" include
clay coatings, fillers from the previous paper, paper clips and
staples, fibers too short to be made into paper, ink if it wasn't
skimmed off in the deinking process, and any "junk" that
crept into the wastepaper bales.
Stocking Paper - A paper kept in current inventory by mills,
distributors and/or printers, so that it is readily available to
customers. Mills should have it always available to ship to distributors.
Each distributor and printer comes up with its own mix of stocking
papers, so availability will vary within areas.
Truckload - Generally refers to 40,000 pounds of paper.
Uncoated paper - Paper without a clay (often slick) coating.
Virgin - Paper made the first time, most often from wood
Web - Many printing presses work with huge, continuous rolls
of paper. Web presses are used for large printing jobs, such as
large magazine runs, newspapers, or tens of thousands of brochures.
Weight - See Basis Weight