Deciding which paper stock to use for your job can be tricky. How thick is 135kg? How matt is Matt-Coat? We have put together this guide to help address these questions and more, when choosing from the many types of paper we offer here at Mojoprint.
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Guide to Japanese paper weights (kg)
How on earth can a piece of paper weigh 220kg?! Well, it can't, but a stack of 1000 press sheets can. The way paper weights are expressed can be a little confusing, particularly as many designers working overseas may be used to gsm (grams per square meter) rather than kg weights.
Japanese papers are classified according to the weight of a stack of 1000 pieces of benchmark sized sheets laid on top of each other. There are many different paper sizes in use by commercial printers in Japan, each affecting the weight of a stack - and thus the xxkg weight of any one sheet paper. We use the shi-roku-ban paper size (approx 788 x 1091) as the bench mark for expressing our paper weights.
See our GSM to KG paper weight conversion table for more details.
Standard papers
| Paper | Description | Available weights |
|---|---|---|
| Coat | Coated paper, ideal for flyers and posters. Hard wearing stock with a shiny finish. | 70kg, 90kg, 110kg, 135kg, 180kg, 220kg |
| Matt coat | Matt coat paper is half way between a shiny coated paper and a dull uncoated one. When fully inked the colors take on a semi-sheen and remain bright. A common choice for brochures and flyers. | 70kg, 90kg, 110kg, 135kg, 180kg, 220kg |
| Uncoated | Otherwise known as 'matt' or jyoshitsu in Japanese, uncoated paper is a wood-free stock. With no additional coating, it absorbs the ink a little, resulting in duller colors and less contrast than a coated paper, yet is soft and natural to the touch. Ideal for stationery. | 70kg, 90kg, 110kg, 135kg, 180kg, 220kg |
| Mirror matt | A special cast-coated paper that is super shiny on the front and uncoated on the back and often used for shop cards or greeting cards. The shine dulls considerably however when fully inked so it is commonly laminated with a gloss PP film. | 235kg (220kg card + lamination) |
| Gloss PP card | Our standard coat stock, laminated on both sides with luxurious, shiny gloss PP film. Available on one side or both. | 250kg (220kg card + lamination) |
| Matt PP card | Our standard coat stock, laminated on both sides with luxurious, matt PP film. Available on one side or both. | 250kg (220kg card + lamination) |
Premium papers
| Paper | Description | Available weights |
|---|---|---|
| Hi-McKinley Art | A premium hi-white coated stock, when standard coat just won't do | 70kg, 90kg, 110kg, 135kg, 180kg, 220kg |
| Araveil Snow White | Natural feel uncoated stock with a slight texture. Perfect for business stationery and postcards. | 90kg, 130kg, 200kg |
| Araveil Natural | Natural feel, off-white uncoated stock with a slight texture. Perfect for business stationary and postcards. | 200kg |
| Kent | Bluish-white, smooth uncoated stock commonly used for drawing paper. A popular choice for corporate business cards. | 220kg |
| Vent Nouveau VG Snow White | A treated semi-coated stock with excellent color reproduction. | 105kg, 130kg, 195kg |
| Marshmallow | A super smooth and hi-white uncoated stock. | 135kg, 220kg |
| Satin Kinfuji | A premium matt-coat stock. Neither too shiny or too matt - a great choice for corporate flyers. | 90kg, 110kg, 135kg, 180kg |
| Mr.B Super White | With a rough texture but coated finish, this is a popular stock for a wide variety of marketing materials. | 90kg, 110kg, 135kg, 180kg |
| Shikoku Tenrei | A Japanese washi-style finish on one side, with Kent uncoated stock on the reverse. | 180kg |
| Bamboo | An uncoated, off-white stock made from eco-friendly bamboo pulp. | 220kg |
| Moderatone GA Snow | A tactile uncoated stock with an embossed, watercolour paper-like texture - great for premium business cards. | 200kg |
| Mermaid Snow White | This is essentially watercolor paper. A highly textured paper with a tactile finish. | 210kg |
| Bagasse Hybrid Rough White | Treated on one side, this thick card has a slightly rough feel. Popular for premium business cards. | 225kg, 265kg |
Large Format substrates
| Paper | Description | Thickness |
|---|---|---|
| Photo Gloss | Versatile coated, glossy photo paper, great for a wide range of posters and prints. Suitable for indoor use. | 0.21mm |
| Photo Satin | An affordable, semi-glossy paper that features a photographic quality finish with soft reflections and elegant colors. Suitable for indoor use. | 0.21mm |
| Heavy Matt | Thick matte, uncoated paper with slightly subdued colors and minimal shine. Best suited to non-photographic posters and prints. Suitable for indoor use. | 0.23mm |
| Synthetic Paper | Lightweight, smooth, matt and bright white, synthetic paper is a great alternative to traditional papers. Durable so as not to tear and also water resistant, it is suitable for indoor use or short-term outdoor use. | 0.21mm |
| Heavy Washi Paper | A heavy matt paper with a slight textured finish. Thick paper that will absorb ink and produce subdued colours. Suitable for indoor use. | 0.24mm |
| Synthetic Poster Paper | Water-resistant, semi-gloss, heavy duty synthetic paper. Extremely tear-resistant and intended for outdoor use. Also available with lamination. | 0.20mm |
| PVC adhesive | PVC adhesive is the go-to choice for exhibition graphics and a wide range of outdoor applications, including signboards. It is backed with a gray adhesive and finished with a UV resistant PP lamination available in either shiny gloss or smooth matt. | 0.14mm |
| Backlit PET Film | Milky-white film for vibrant backlit signage. Finished with a lamination for surface protection. Please note this material is non-adhesive and designed for fixture behind a protective transparent acrylic panel. | 0.12mm |
| Backlit adhesive film | This self-adhesive PVC film is designed for use with backlit, electric signboards. Available with your choice of matt or gloss PP finish. The white, opaque type will look good even during the day when the signboard is turned off. | 0.15mm |
| Tarpaulin vinyl | Vinyl, PVC, tarpaulin - it goes by many names. A strong, heavy duty, versatile outdoor banner material that can finished with reinforced welded edges and eyelets for ropes. There are various types and weights used across different products, from rollup banners to large signage. | 0.37mm |
| Toromatt polyester | Soft polyester material that is printed with either dye-sublimation or inkjet to produce a variety of fabric signs and banners. | 0.27mm |
| Ponzi polyester | Lightweight polyester material most often used for nobori flags. | 0.14mm |
Sticker papers
| Paper | Description |
|---|---|
| Art-tac | A coated paper with good colour reproduction. Laminated with your choice of matt or gloss PP for extra durability or left unfinished (good for writing on with a permanent pen etc.). These stickers are not water resistant. |
| Synthetic Paper - White PP | White, matt synthetic paper is tough and water resistant with a smooth feel. Laminated with your choice of matt or gloss PP for extra durability. |
| Uncoated | An uncoated paper that is suitable for writing on. Since the ink is absorbed by the paper the colours will be slightly subdued. These stickers are not water resistant. |
| Washi (tairei) | A Japanese paper sticker made by incorporating glossy fibers called "hana" throughout, giving it an elegant and luxurious feel in addition to the unique atmosphere of washi paper. Not water resistant. |
| Metallic foil | Gold or silver foil adhesive, laminated with your choice of matt or gloss PP for extra durability. Optional white ink layer at no additional cost to keep coloured areas opaque. Not water resistant. |
| Kraft | This matt dark brown sticker paper is popular for its natural texture and is suitable for writing on. Not water resistant. |
| Transparent PET | Printed on transparent PET plastic, and laminated with your choice of matt or gloss PP for extra durability. A white ink layer option is included as standard to keep your design opaque on top of the transparent film. |
| PVC | A white PVC (polyvinyl chloride) sticker paper printed with UV-resistant inks making it durable, water resistant and ideal for outdoor use. The go to paper for novelty stickers. |
| Hologram foil | This holographic rainbow effect foil catches the light from various angles to provide an eye-catching finish to your stickers. As with other metallic stickers, your design will print like a transparent layer on top of the rainbow effect. A white ink layer option is included as standard to keep your design opaque on top of the sticker. |
Need something special?
If you would like to use any of the premium papers above (or any other paper available in Japan) please contact us for a custom quote.