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 layed 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 | The gloss factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 |
| Coat | Coated paper, ideal for flyers and posters. Hard wearing stock with a shiny finish. | 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. | 220kg | |
| Art-tac sticker | Ultra-glossy plastic feel stock. The removable backing is pale yellow, has a split for easy removal plus, we can print greyscale on it too. | n/a |
Premium papers
| Paper | Description | Available weights | The gloss factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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, 135kg, 200kg |
| 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. | 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 | |
| Mermaid Snow White | This is essentially watercolor paper. A highly textured paper with a tactile finish. | 210kg | |
| Bagasse | Treated on one side, this thick card has a slightly rough feel. Popular for premium business cards. | 265kg |
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.