Paper Characteristics: Paper Brightness
We hope you were able to read the previous blog on paper characteristics, this is a continuation of that. These are some characteristics that should be considered, when selecting paper for a printed project:
Color
Brightness
Grain
Paper grade
Paper weight
Opacity
Finish
Paper Brightness
As we mentioned in the previous blog, brightness and whiteness of paper can sometimes be confused. The brightness refers to how much blue light from the surface of the paper is reflected, and the whiteness is the paper’s shade of white.
Our eyes are not capable of seeing the difference of the paper brightness of one sheet of paper as compared to a different sheet of paper. The paper industry’s standard brightness factor is measured on a TAPPI brightness meter. This meter measures a specific blue light source that is reflected from the surface of a sheet of paper. The brightness factor is measured on a scale from 0% – 100%. The higher the number indicates the brighter the paper. The average paper measures between 80% – 90%. Photo paper and Premium quality paper measures in the mid-90s to 100% and can be more expensive compared to lower quality papers. Brighteners that are artificially added to the paper such as florescent additives; usually, are not neutral in color and have an excess of blue light reflectance.
If images are a major part of your printed project, keep in mind the brightness will affect the appearance of the printed images. The Brightness of a sheet of paper will affect the brilliance of the paper and the contrast of the printed portion of the project. Less bright paper may cause the images to appear much darker than originally intended. Color vibrancy can also be influenced by the paper’s brightness. The brighter the paper, the more vibrant the colors will appear.
When you are ready to order, just follow the link below to shop leading brands manufactured by the leading mills across the world @ DefyPaper:
Stay tuned for more information on paper characteristics!
About DEFYPaper
DEFYPaper is proud to offer a large selection of paper products to meet all of your printing needs. DEFYPaper makes high-quality printing projects fast and simple. Do you have any questions? Or perhaps you need help selecting the perfect product for your business or organization. Maybe you would just like a sample of Neenah Environment. For this and more, contact one of our DEFYPaper experts. Call 1-800-486-3435 or email Info@defypaper.com. Visit us at defypaper.com.