Types of paper for your office needs

Paper is an important product in almost any office because documentation is a key part of running a business. Plus, it's so easy to find the type of paper you need when you're looking at a wide variety of paper types. One key way to choose paper is by considering your intended purpose for it.

Cardstock

Cardstock is useful for a variety of things, such as making personalized greeting cards to send to clients and businesses that partner with you. It's also useful for making your own business cards, craft projects and scrapbooking pages. Things to look for when shopping for cardstock are the sizes you need to create your projects, the colors and patterns you need to get the effect you're after and the type of printer it's designed to work with. You may also want to look for cardstock crafted from recycled paper if you prefer to use eco-friendly paper products.

Copy and multipurpose paper

The terms copy paper and printer paper are often used interchangeably. They aren't the same type of paper, even though the uses for them are similar.

• Copy paper: Copy paper is a slightly thinner type of office paper than printer paper. If you're just running documents that have text through your copier or printer, this type of paper works well. However, because it is a lightweight type of paper, if the pages you're printing have images or graphics, the ink can bleed through and create wrinkles in copy paper.
• Inkjet printer paper: Paper for inkjet printers needs to be able to accept the ink that's sent out through the printer's jets. As an example, if you use printer paper with a glossy coating that's been developed for laser printing in an inkjet printer, it's likely that the words or graphics you print will smudge if you touch the surface of the printed paper with your fingertip.
• Laser printer paper: Laser printers use toner rather than ink to create the text and images on paper, and these printers need a specially designed paper that can accept the toner. When you're shopping for paper to use in a laser printer, make sure it's labeled as laser print paper. You can also find accessories such as envelopes, index cards and shipping labels designed to be used in a laser printer.

Photo paper

There are numerous options available when you're shopping for photo paper, and that can make it easy to find exactly what you need. Start by searching based on the type of printer you're using, such as laser or inkjet. Choose the paper size you want, and then consider the type of finish you want your photos to have. If you like a lustrous shine, glossy photo paper delivers it. If you prefer a soft finish with little to no shine, consider photo paper with a matte finish.

Brochure and presentation paper

Paper products for creating marketing and educational materials include brochure and presentation paper. Brochure paper comes in your choice of a shiny or a matte finish and needs to be compatible with the printer you're using; compatibility ensures the ink or toner stays put. Presentation paper includes rolls of paper you can set up and use for sketching ideas. These rolls of paper are also useful for brainstorming sessions because you can easily roll it up and keep all the notes after the meeting to review later. Choose these types of papers based on the size and colors you need for easy visibility.

Colored paper

You can unleash your creativity by choosing colored paper for craft projects and scrapbooking. You can also use colored paper for company branding purposes or to create flyers to hand out for special events and holiday offerings from your business. Choose between inkjet, laser printer and recycled paper in the colors that meet your printing needs.

Filler paper

Filler paper is the type of paper that's often used in binders and notebooks for college and grade school students, but it can also be used for office applications. This type of paper comes in ruled styles that have lines spaced for young children and older students. You can also choose it with holes to put in binders or without holes to slide into pocket-style folders and files. Filler paper is also available in different colors and sizes, as well as in eco-friendly recycled versions.