When choosing materials for packaging and printing, many people are most confused about the weight of the paper. The weight not only determines the thickness of the paper but also directly affects its stiffness, feel, load-bearing capacity, and cost. Choosing the right weight can not only ensure the usage effect but also avoid waste. This article explains the relationship between paper weight and thickness, stiffness in an easy-to-understand way, helping you quickly master the core of paper selection.
I. What is Paper Weight? And What is Its Relationship with Thickness?
Paper weight refers to the weight of each square meter of paper, with the unit being g/㎡. In the industry, it is often simply referred to as how many grams. For example, 250g white card paper, 157g coated paper, 800g double grey board.
Generally, the higher the weight of the same type of paper, the thicker the thickness, the stronger the stiffness, and the higher the price.
However, different types of paper have different densities, so the thickness cannot be compared only by weight. For example, even if the weight of double grey board and white card paper is the same, there will be obvious differences in thickness and feel.
II. How to Match Paper Weight, Stiffness and Usage?
1. Low weight (80g–200g): Mainly for thin printing
Suitable for scenarios that do not require support and are mainly for displaying graphics and text. The stiffness is relatively weak and the feel is relatively soft.
Common paper: Coated paper, offset paper
Application: Flyers, posters, inner pages of photo albums, instruction manuals, paper bags
Characteristics: Thin and easy to fold, low cost, not suitable for load-bearing packaging
2. Medium weight (230g–350g): Main force in general packaging
This is the most commonly used range in the packaging industry, balancing stiffness and toughness, not easy to deform, suitable for most gift boxes and color boxes.
Common paper: White card paper, food-grade white card paper, coated paper
Application: Cosmetics boxes, small packaging for electronic products, cake boxes, gift boxes, handbags
Characteristics: Moderate stiffness, can be folded, can be gold-embossed UV, good printing effect
3. High weight (350g–600g+): Hard and stiff support type
High thickness, strong stiffness, not easy to bend, suitable for hard box structures that require shaping and load-bearing.
Common paper: Thick white card paper, coated kraft paper
Application: Top and bottom cover gift boxes, high-end wine boxes, heavy product outer packaging, hard shell handbags
Characteristics: Strong support, high-end feel, suitable for packaging with high hardness requirements
4. Super high weight double grey board (600g–1500g): Special for inner support
Double grey board is mainly used for inner support, framework, and interlayer, and is not directly printed. The higher the weight, the harder it is.
Application: Inner support of gift boxes, middle layer of shoe boxes, hardcover book shells, inner support of heavy packaging
Characteristics: Extremely high hardness, high cost performance, the first choice for controlling costs while improving stiffness
III. Core Principles for Selecting Paper Weight
Look at the usage
Choose low weight for simple printing; medium weight for color boxes and packaging; high weight for hard boxes and gift boxes; high weight double grey board for inner support.
Look at the load-bearing capacity
The heavier the product, the higher the weight required to avoid packaging deformation and collapse.
Do not blindly pursue high weight
Excessively high weight will increase costs and the weight of the product. For small and light items, medium and low weights are sufficient.
Combine with the type of paper
The weight standards for white card paper, coated paper, double grey board, kraft paper, and food-grade paper are different, and the performance varies greatly at the same weight.
IV. Quick Summary: How to Choose Without Making Mistakes
Posters / Instruction manuals: 105g–157g coated paper
Ordinary color boxes / Handbags: 250g–300g white card paper
High-end hard boxes / Gift boxes: 350g–450g white card paper
Food packaging: Corresponding food-grade white card paper, mainly 250g–350g
Inner support: Double grey board over 600g
Heavy-duty transport packaging: Coated kraft paper over 250g
Choosing the right paper weight can not only enhance the quality of the packaging but also reasonably control costs, which is the most crucial step in paper selection. Paper weight, paper thickness, paper stiffness, paper selection, white card paper, coated paper, double grey board, coated kraft paper, food-grade paper, packaging paper, printing paper, color box, gift box, handbag, inner support.