Getting Technical With Inkjet Photo Papers

There has always been some confusion as what can be called inkjet photo papers. At times we hear that from our customers and we often read it online. Some papers are described as photo quality papers others as photo papers and some as premium photo paper etc. In this article we intend to get technical and highlight the different qualities of the papers with the distinguishing characteristics. Once you have this information at hand, the choice of which paper to buy should be easier.

There are 4 main types of papers: 

The Very Basic Bond Papers: This paper is normally packed in reams of 500 sheets in a paper wrapping. The paper is normally between 80-100 gsm (grams per square metre). This type of paper is universal for both laser and inkjet printing and not suitable for inkjet quality image printing, however for letters and other office document printing it makes a wise economical choice.

Matt Coated Paper: This paper is a bond paper with a top matt coating (normally on one side only) to accommodate the ink droplet and to enhance the colour of the image.  Inkjet Matt Coated papers are between 90-200gsm and in some cases even more which may cause some problems in feeding with some desktop inkjet printers. The matt coated papers will result in a nice matt image, however still not up to standard when a photographic image is required. Coated papers are mainly used for low cost printing of images, graphics, charts and are ideal for economical professional presentations.

Photo Gloss Instant Dry (Cast Coated): The most common photo paper in the market and being sold in all  the major high street chains and websites. The instant dry (or some will skip the word; instant) is a paper with a gloss coating which is normally coated with a technology called; Cast Coating. This technology which initially started in Japan spread quickly to Europe, China, Korea and Taiwan. There are different qualities of cast coated papers and it is due to the based paper, however more due to the coating. This can be measured by vibrancy of colours, colour gamut (the ability to have all tones and sub tones of colour shown clearly on the paper) and bleeding (amount of ink the paper can handle with out colours bleeding one into the other). Because of the paper properties, Instant Dry with its low glare is ideal for outstanding photo prints and high quality presentations

Photo Microporous Premium Paper: This paper can produced in gloss or satin (semi-gloss) finish.  Normally, produced in high grad based paper of around 250gsm and more. The Microporous coating known to be the highest quality coating and use a base paper which is coated with a polypropylene resin on both sides to create stability and act as a barrier for the ink not to be absorbed into the paper. By that, preventing cockling (waves) and increase the longevity of the image. This paper, as well as, having a better image and colour definition is ideal for high quality professional photo prints. It is important to mention that there are many different types of Microporous photo papers in the market and they vary qualities.                     

Joseph is the founder of Photo Paper Direct, an inkjet consumables store selling photo paper and Inkjet Ink Cartridges.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Getting Crafty With Office Paper

You know how much damage the making of new paper costs our environment. However, there is hardly any substance that can replace the function of paper. Even high-tech computers are not able to eliminate the need for paper. But there is one thing we can do to lessen our use of paper in our own way. You can segregate white office paper from other office trash for recycling. But with a bit creativity and effort, you can turn recycled paper supplies to a profitable business.

Paper recycling is old news, but it seems to be an on-and-off venture for most people. Making recycled paper crafts into a business provides fuel to the recycling machine. If you look at bookstore displays, you'll find coarse looking stationery and specialty papers. Even if these look old and rough, they are more expensive than those smoother and printed papers. Those coarse specialty papers are handmade and use natural fibers and recycled paper. You don't need to buy a truckload of waste paper to get started. In fact, look around your house. Sort through your old files and see if there's anything in there that you don't need anymore. White office paper like bond papers are great for this recycling project.

After sorting the white papers from the rest of your office supplies, shred them in a document shredder or just tear them to little pieces. Throw in colored paper if you like a bit of color and different textures. Place the shredded papers in a blender or food processor with hot water in batches. Blend for a couple of minutes until the mixture looks fine and in one color. Add food color or dye if desired. For a touch of ingenuity, a few drops of essential oils like lavender or rose water make for lightly scented papers.

The blended pulp will be the base for your homemade paper. But to form and harden it, you must have a screen and mold. These materials are available in paper supplies stores or made at home using wooden frames and fiberglass screen. Meanwhile, soak the pulp in batches in a soaking solution made of water and liquid starch. The starch will prevent the ink from softening the paper. The amount of pulp per batch depends on the desired paper thickness. More pulp means thicker paper. Stir amd make sure that the starch is well incorporated in the pulp. Scoop the paper out using the molds and tap it to drain excess water. Level the surface of the pulp until smooth. Do this repeatedly until the right thickness and texture is achieved. Cover the mold with a fabric and invert it, making the pulp slide onto the cloth. Squeeze the pulp to remove excess water and dry it out. Stack the prepared pulp together with fabric in between in each layer. Press excess water out and separate the individual sheets. The sheets can be air-dried or laid out in newspapers to dry by sunlight.

When dried, the handmade paper can be cut into desired sizes and bound by natural fibers like hemp rope to form a journal. When cut into tiny pieces, the sheets also make lovely note cards. To add a touch of elegance, dried flowers and leaves can be added during the molding process. The use of office paper is not limited to the office. With this project, you can start your own paper supplies business.

To get more information about paper and copier paper, please visit http://www.papercopier.com

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.