High quality digital and litho printers in Colchester

Gloss

Exactly as the name suggests - it's a glossy one! Not everyone's cup of tea because of the shiny surface but gloss has a sleek, smooth finish. This sheet reproduces your images in bright, vivid colour. However, the shine does reflect the light and make text hard to read in certain conditions.

Great for colourful photos that need real impact, childrens books and graphic novels

Silk (or Matt Coated)

Silk is the middle ground between uncoated and gloss. It has a very slight sheen and smooth surface but has generally a dull finish that lends itself well to both photography and text.

A very versatile stock and equally popular for corporate projects as well as creative photographic work. If you're unsure if gloss is too shiny and uncoated might not feel high quality enough then play safe and go for silk.

Uncoated

A grainy sheet with no coating gives it a rougher feel. This is a very popular stock because it looks and feel cool.

don't be surprised if your images aren't as colourful as they look on screen - the lack of a coating means the ink soaks in which can dull down any colourful artwork.

In demand equally for classic 'recycled / newspaper' style Zines as well as photography journals and portfolios.

'House' Gloss

Symbol Freelife Gloss

If you want your images to shine and bounce off the page then this is the stock for you! A premium bright white, smooth finish guarantees your glossy project looks and feels great. Best to avoid going for gloss if you have a load of text only pages like poems or CVs.

Available in: 115, 130, 150, 170, 200, 250, 300 and 350gsm weights

'House' Silk

(Symbol Freelife Satin)

Our house silk is a very versatile sheet bringing out the best in images whilst making text crisp and readable. If you're not sure about paper then Silk is the safe all rounder selection. We recommend 130gsm for text pages and 300gsm is perfect for thicker covers.

Available in: 115, 130, 150, 170, 200, 250, 300 and 350gsm weights

Condat Digital

Matt

A common choice for commercial magazines needing image clarity and text legibility. 'Matt' is not the same as 'uncoated' because it has a coating but no shine - it is the complete middle ground in papers. Condat Digital Matt is also slightly off white so images have a warm feel.

Available in: 100, 130, 150 and 170gsm

'House' Uncoated

(DNS Uncoated)

If you would like a white, uncoated stock then this is your best and cheapest option. Chosen for it's bright white appearance and very fine texture to give it subtle rough feel.

For newspaper / newsprint style Zines go for the thin 80gsm weight.

Available in: 80, 120, 160, 200, 250 and 300gsm.

Evolution Uncoated

(100% Recycled)

For an off white finish then choose Evolution Uncoated. It has a rougher feel than our house uncoated and a very slight grain embedded within the colour to give it an off white colour.

We recommend the 120gsm for text pages and 300gsm for bulkier covers.

Available in: 120, 160, 250, 300 and 350gsm.

Cyclustec

(100% Recycled)

Cyclustec is a 100% recycled sheet with a near grey appearance and a grain/speckle across the surface. The sheet has a matt coating so it feels smooth with a slight sheen.

The limited range of weights make it ideal for text pages or lightweight covers.

Available in: 130, 150, 170 and 200.

Evolution Uncoated

When people ask us for "an off white stock" then we point them towards Evolution Uncoated. It has a rougher feel than our house uncoated and a very slight grain embedded within the colour to give it a warmer colour.

120gsm is perfect for text pages and 300gsm for card covers.

Available in: 120,160, 250, 300 and 350gsm.

Mohawk Via Felt

A very textured, uncoated stock with an ivory colour. Best to stick to black print on Mohawk Via Felt - colour images will be washed out because of the paper's colour and can appear speckled because of the uneven surface but if you want a definite texture then here it is! (In all honesty this is more suited to wedding stationery but you can decide)

Available in: 118 and 300gsm only.

Sirio Perla

A light grey uncoated stock with a fine texture and smooth finish. Great for adding definition on black only pages, however, the strong grey colour will change the appearance of any colour images. Pick from two weights - one suitable for text pages and one ideal for the cover.

Available in: 115 and 290gsm only.

GFSmith Colorplan

The Rolls Royce of papers! A premium sheet that will really make your project stand out against the competition. Choose from 50 colours over a huge spectrum and from weights suitable for text pages and covers. Black or white printing works best on the richer colours to avoid the paper clashing with content.

To see the full selection of colours visit:
www.colorplanpapers.com

Available in 135, 170, 275 and 350gsm

Fedrigoni Sirio

Premium sheets offering a smooth, uncoated finish and available in 20 vibrant colours. Sirio comes in two weights so is ideal for both text and covers. We don't recommend printing colour onto the coloured sheets but black or white ink looks great on these!

For more information visit the Fedrigoni Sirio page

Available in 115 and 290gsm only

Are there any other paper choices?

Yes! If you have seen a particular stock that you like ask us and we'll see if it's approved for our presses.

We have illustrated the most cost effective papers on this page because from experience
we know you would rather pay less than more if possible!