Neenah Paper
Oh, the lazy days of summer. Well, maybe not lazy, but everything does seem to slow down a bit during vacation season. So wouldn’t this be a good time to brush up on your paper knowledge?
Or maybe some of you paper and print veterans can inspire fledgling designers and newbies to learn about this essential part of print design. Let’s just call it Neenah Paper Summer School. All you need do is visit the Neenah Paper Web site.
The best place to start is www.neenahpaper.com/ResourceCenter. There is an incredible amount of useful information on the Neenah Paper Web site, beginning with Paper 101. This is where you’ll find the basics, such as definitions of paper types, basis weights, conversions and international sizes.
The Glossary is worth bookmarking, with its extensive list of paper and printing definitions. And it’s not just the “everyday” terms. For example, do you know what free sheet means? Or, did you know that Schopper’s tester is an instrument for testing the folding endurance of paper? Good to know for anyone designing packaging, book covers or any printed material that will see repeated use.
Special Handling
Speaking of packaging, you’ll also find a packaging calculator for bags, set-up boxes and folding boxes. Simply enter the dimensions, weight and quantity to see how much paper your order will require. This is particularly important for anyone interested in a special making order, as they usually have required minimums.
And what is “making order” you ask? According to the Neenah Paper Glossary:
Making Order – A paper that is not available off the supplier’s shelf, but they will produce it when ordered. Making orders for special sizes, colors and weights of paper are subject to small minimums.
Anyone who designs direct mail knows that the cost of postage is an important consideration. There are many factors that can increase the cost of handling a piece of mail. Color, size and weight among them. There are rules for business reply mail and bulk mail. While detailed information about all of this can be found on the USPS Web site, Neenah hits the highlights with the information you need about envelopes and size/weight standards, as well as color and design tips for your mailer.
For Your Tool Box
Whether you’re a designer, production manager or printer, or no matter the size of the project, there is a wealth of information and tools available on the site to help in planning and execution.
- Pocket folder die lines—23 to be exact— to assist you in designing unique presentation folders.
- A section on private watermarks that includes both traditional and CUSTOMARK, the solution for smaller quantities.
- Brand specific scoring and folding tips.
- Virtual swatchbooks for quick reference.
- Quantity conversion calculator and metric calculator.
The Neenah Green section is chock full of what you need to know about selecting papers with the environmental properties you’re looking for, and the more detailed Environmental FAQ’s will help you determine what those should be.
The Neenah Green At-a-Glance Guide breaks down the brands and their environmental properties. And don’t forget about the Eco-calculator for understanding the environmental savings of using a postconsumer paper for your project.
When it comes to inspiration, Neenah delivers with its Think Ink: Color Unleashed, where you can create fresh, new color palettes based on your own photographs and artwork, RGB and CMYK values, and Neenah Paper colors. You can also use color psychology from the Dewey Color System to build smarter, more useful color palettes. And for the first time ever, you can find colored papers that match your palettes. This is also available as an iPhone app.
You’re In The Know
With budgets getting squeezed and time frames tightening up, it only makes sense to learn as much as you can about every aspect of print design. If you’re a designer, it could prove helpful to understand that by reducing the size of an item to fit more on a press sheet, you could significantly lower your paper and printing costs.
As a printer, it’s always good to know what the paper is capable of, or best used for. And remember, if you can’t find the answer to your question, Neenah’s experienced staff is available to you through the Live Chat feature.
So during one of these not-so-frenzied afternoons, take a look and see what you can learn from the Neenah Paper Web site www.neenahpaper.com. And watch for updates on the launch of Neenah’s new Web site … coming soon!
