Guide: Paper and Paper Sizes.

Different types of paper

COPY PAPER

Copy paper, also called printer paper, is a multifunctional paper that can be used for many different types of tasks. Copy paper can be used in any type of printer, from laser printers to inkjet printers. This type of paper is perfect for standard printing and copying tasks in your office. Copy paper come in several different sizes and qualities. More about formats and paper thickness can be found further down on this page.

COLORED PAPER

Colored paper is available in several different colors, sizes and qualities. Functionally, it is not much that distinguishes them from copy paper and common uses for colored paper are brochures, letters, information material, posters, copying etc. Colored paper can be used both in printers and in copying machines. In our range you will find a wide range of colored papers from Anatalis.

PHOTO PAPER

Photo paper is specially designed to get the best results when printing images and color prints. What characterizes photo paper is that the paper usually has a coated surface and higher thickness. Photo paper is usually made of paper with a basis thickness from 170g and upward. You can choose between matte or glossy coated surface depending on the finish you want to have on your print.

INKJET PAPER

Inkjet paper is a specialty coated paper that is designed to handle large ink prints. Inkjet paper is perfect when you need to print large drawings, maps and other great prints. Inkjet paper dries quickly and reduces the risk of bleeding.

PAPER WEIGHT

The quality of a paper is often indicated by the paper weight. Paper weight is measured by the value of grams per square meter or GSM. Paper weight also indirectly affects the thickness of the paper, although thickness has its own dimensions - µm. But as a rule, the higher paper weight - the thicker the paper is.

A copy paper used in offices usually has a paper weight of 80gsm. 80gsm is usually enough when you need to print everyday prints or copy documents in the office.

There are also "thicker" options, or paper with higher paper weight, for those times when you need a paper witch a more exclusive feel. Examples of such documents may include business documents, quotes etc. This type of paper should have a paper weight of at least 100gsm. In our range you will find paper from 80gsm up to 250gsm.

In our range, you quickly see what gsm a paper has by checking the product image. 

PAPER SIZES

In Sweden, we use an international paper standard that the majority of the world's countries use. This format is based on the ISO 216 standard and is called the A series.

The A series is based on the measure A0. A0 has a size of 841x1189 mm and an area of 1m². The A series goes from A0 up to A10 where the digits 1 - 10 indicate how many times the basic format should be folded or cropped to give the requested format. Simply put, the size is halved for each increased number, e.g. A2 is half the size of A1, A3 is half the size of A2 etc.

The most common format for copy paper in Swedish offices is A4 - 210x297mm.

The table below shows the most common standard sizes in the A series. The dimensions are in mm:

Below we have made an illustration of the different sizes in the A series:

ARE THERE MORE PAPER FORMATS?

Yes, there are also the B and C series.

The B series and the C series are a complements to the A series to cover the need for more sizes. The B series paper sizes are between the sizes included in the A series. Example: A B4 paper are placed between A4 and A3 in size. The B series is relatively unusual and occurs mainly in professional contexts such as posters and ads.

The C series is smaller than the A and B series. The C series is mainly used for envelopes.

ENVIRONMENT

When it comes to paper, there are several active choices you can make to choose a more sustainable paper. To make a greener choice, look for the following labels:

• EU Ecolabel
• Swan
• FSC
• PEFC
• Recycled paper

You can choose paper that is environmentally certified by either the Swan or EU Ecolabel. By choosing paper that is marked with the Swan or EU Ecolabel, you can feel confident that you have chosen products that have met the requirements that the organizations put on products regarding the products' environmental impact throughout the life cycle - from raw material to waste.

Another option is to choose products that come from responsible forestry. FSC and PEFC are two labels that both have the forest in the center. PEFCTM and FSC® are the largest and most well-known certification systems for sustainable forestry and both are examined by external, neutral third parties.