Paper stocks, sizes and finishes

Three choices decide how a printed piece feels in the hand: how big it is, how heavy the paper is, and what the surface does. This guide lists everything available on the marketplace and explains what each choice is actually for. The tables below are generated from the catalogue itself, so they match what you'll see in the Studio.

Trim sizes

Trim size is the finished dimension after cutting — what you'd measure with a ruler.

Product	Trim sizes
Notepads	5 × 8 in, 4 × 6 in, 3 × 5 in
Business cards	3.5 × 2 in
Calendars	8.5 × 11 in, 8 × 8 in

A quick orientation:

• 5 × 8 in is the standard desk pad. Room for a real list without dominating a worktop.
• 4 × 6 in suits a kitchen counter or a bedside table, and is the usual choice for gift pads.
• 3 × 5 in is the pocket size — bags, glovebox, apron pocket.
• 3.5 × 2 in is the standard business card, the same as every card holder and wallet slot is built for.
• 8.5 × 11 in and 8 × 8 in are the calendar formats: letter for wall planners, square for a desk or a hook.

Paper stocks

Paper weight is quoted in two different systems, which is a historical mess rather than anything meaningful. Bond (or "writing") weights describe sheets you write on. Cover weights and pt (thousandths of an inch) describe card. A 65 lb cover is much heavier than a 32 lb bond despite the smaller number, because they're measured against different basis sheets.

Stock	Weight	Feel	Used for
Everyday	20 lb bond	Standard copy-weight sheet; the classic notepad page	Notepads
Premium writing	24 lb bond	Smoother and more opaque; nicer under a pen	Notepads
Heavy writing	28 lb bond	Ink stays put; minimal show-through	Notepads
Presentation	32 lb bond	The thickest writing sheet; feels substantial	Notepads
Smooth text	70 lb text	Light card feel; good for inserts and flat prints	Notepads, Business cards, Calendars
Light cardstock	65 lb cover	Bends with a snap; postcards and toppers	Business cards
Cardstock	80 lb cover	Sturdy all-purpose card	Business cards, Calendars
Heavy cardstock	100 lb cover	Stiff, premium-feeling card	Business cards, Calendars
Card standard	14 pt	The classic business-card thickness	Business cards
Card premium	16 pt	Noticeably thick; a card people comment on	Business cards

The practical version:

• Writing weights (20–32 lb bond) are for notepads, because you write on them. Heavier means less show-through when a pen presses hard, and a more substantial feel when a pad is torn off. 20 lb is ordinary copy paper; 32 lb feels like stationery.
• 70 lb text sits between paper and card — flat prints and inserts, not much good under a ballpoint.
• Cover weights and pt stocks are card: business cards, sturdy calendars, anything meant to stand up rather than lie flat. 14 pt is what most people picture as a business card; 16 pt is the one people comment on.

If a pad is meant to be used, favour a writing weight. If it's meant to be handed over, favour card.

Finishes

Finish is the surface treatment, and it changes both how the piece looks and whether you can write on it.

Finish	Character
Uncoated smooth	Natural paper feel; best for writing on
Matte	Soft coated sheet; rich color, no glare
Gloss	Shiny coated; makes artwork pop (hard to write on)
Linen	Woven texture; classic stationery
Felt	Soft toothy texture; artisan feel
Recycled kraft	Visible fiber; earthy and natural

The trade-off that catches people out is gloss. It makes artwork luminous and it is genuinely difficult to write on — ink beads and smears. A glossy notepad looks superb in a photograph and frustrates whoever ends up using it. For anything that takes a pen, uncoated is the safe answer; matte is the compromise when colour matters.

Linen and felt add texture that reads as expensive at arm's length and slightly reduces fine detail up close, so they suit type and pattern better than photographs. Recycled kraft shows visible fibre and shifts every colour printed on it warmer — worth previewing rather than assuming.

Paper colours

Stock shades available across the catalogue: Bright white, Natural white, Cream, Ivory, Soft gray, Blush, Sky, Mint, Butter, Kraft.

Two things to keep in mind. Ink is not opaque, so the paper colour mixes with everything printed on it — a pale blue on cream reads green-ish. And there is no white ink: anything "white" in your design is simply the paper showing through, which on kraft or butter stock means it isn't white at all. If a design depends on white space, it needs a white or near-white stock.

Putting it together

• Everyday desk pad — 5 × 8 in, 24 lb bond, uncoated smooth, bright or natural white.
• Gift pad — 4 × 6 in, 28 or 32 lb bond, uncoated or linen, cream or blush.
• Business card that gets remembered — 3.5 × 2 in, 16 pt, matte or linen.
• Wall calendar — 8.5 × 11 in, 80 lb cover, matte.
• Something people keep — go one weight heavier than feels necessary. It's the cheapest upgrade on the list, and it's the one people notice.

Every combination is previewed on the actual product before you order, and all of it prints at 300 DPI with 0.125 in bleed — see print-ready artwork for what that means for your files.