Handouts That Don’t Get Tossed
A handout supports a moment: a presentation, a workshop, a class, a sales conversation. It needs to be cheap enough to print in quantity, readable at a glance, and sturdy enough to survive a bag or a binder. The paper decision is about clean readability and low cost per sheet. Here’s what to reach for and why.
Recommended Paper Characteristics
- A standard text weight, smooth, bright white: the dependable default for handouts. Bright white keeps text and simple charts sharp, the smooth surface prints cleanly on office and digital equipment, and a standard text weight keeps cost down for larger runs.
- A text weight with good opacity for two-sided handouts: most handouts print on both sides, so opacity matters more than thickness. A sheet with solid opacity stops the reverse side from bleeding through and muddying the page.
- A light cover weight for reference handouts people keep: leave-behinds, one-page guides, and price lists that need to survive repeated handling benefit from a slightly heavier hand-feel that resists creasing in a bag.
- A colored text weight for sorting or wayfinding: when a session uses several handouts, printing each on a different colored stock makes them easy to call out and find quickly.
Finish, in One Line
- Smooth, uncoated: the right call, since it is easy to read, easy to write notes on, and economical.
- Bright white vs. colored: white for clean legibility, colored when handouts need to be told apart at a glance.
- Standard text vs. light cover: standard text for disposable handouts, light cover for ones meant to be kept.
Ready to Hand Something Out?
A good handout is legible, affordable, and sturdy enough to keep. Explore the full selection at defypaper.com, where you can browse economical text weights and a few light cover options, then start designing. When you’ve printed something you’re proud of, share it with us. We love seeing what our paper helps create.