Putting the Fine Back into Paper

From printed smartphone photos to printed receipts and legal records, the notion of a paperless world is highly over-rated for almost anyone who has ever attended a printing trade show. Whether output is printed conventionally (offset) or digitally, one major reason that our beloved medium delivers so effectively is that print is, by nature, a tactile experience: Its very feel elicits feelings and can convey messages with powerful impact.

Digital coated paper producer Verso contends that the best digital print quality is now virtually indistinguishable from high-end offset, and few industry observers would argue that point. Equipment productivity and speed continues to improve the overall economics of digital printing, of course, and with techniques such metallic inks, varnishes, embossed-like dimensionality, and ultraviolet ink, digital printing is winning over even the biggest skeptics.

At the Graph Expo 2015 show in mid-September, Verso announced the expansion of its Blazer Digital economy digital coated paper offering with 10 new sheet sizes specifically designed for the Xerox iGen4, iGen 150 and new iGen 5 digital presses.Blazer Digital is an economical, coated digital paper with weight and finish choices similar to conventional folio formats. Offered in gloss and satin, text and cover weights, it provides good performance on dry and liquid toner, production color laser printers and digital offset technologies, according to Verso.

With the growth of the Xerox iGen series, Verso has added 14.33x 26 inch stocking sizes in 80 lb. and 100 lb. gloss and satin text and 26x14.33 inch stocking sizes in 80 lb., 100 lb. and 110 lb. gloss and satin cover to its Blazer Digital offering.

"These additional sheet sizes allow customers to diversify the type and size of high-end color printed materials using one of the industry's largest digital sheet sizes," said Dennis Essary, Verso's director for digital papers. "It's now possible to digitally print collateral such as six-panel 8.5" x 11" tri-fold brochures, postcards and greeting cards, or extra-large book covers and jackets with Verso's new 14.33" x 26 inch sheet size."

Along with the Blazer Digital economy product, Verso offers premium digital products such as Futura, Sterling Premium Digital and Sterling Premium Digital for HP Indigo, each with pleasing optics, exceptional surface quality and budget-friendly pricing, and Productolith Pts. Digital for heavier-weight packaging. Verso also produces award-winning TrueJet, a specialized line of digital coated papers for production inkjet presses that not only optimizes quality but also is designed to deliver significant savings in ink costs. From Futura to TrueJet, Verso can meet your coated digital paper needs.

Why Materials Matter

Also at Graph Expo, exhibitor Mohawk Fine Papers and the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC) organized a collaborative space called “Materials Matter.” Spanning 1,200 square feet, the new show-floor pavilion featured multiple fine paper and substrate firms who demonstrated the powerful role that paper (and also non-paper substrates) plays in every printed project. And, diverse substrate offerings serve to inspire new, unique print applications.

Mohawk’s extensive digital portfolio also was showcased in the paper manufacturer’s own booth as well as by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) exhibiting, including Canon, HP, Konica Minolta, MGI, Ricoh, and Xerox. “Our OEM partners attend Graph Expo to present their equipment in the best possible light, and Mohawk digital products help them to demonstrate amazing print results and generate new revenue streams,” said Mike Madura, VP of digital at Mohawk.

Canon featured a variety of Mohawk fine papers and substrates in various finishes, text and cover weights on its digital presses, including all of the imagePRESS monochrome models. Canon showcased premium fine papers including Mohawk Via Felt i-Tone, Mohawk Loop Inxwell Vertical i-Tone, and Mohawk Superfine Eggshell i-Tone for jazz posters, book covers, and textured farmer’s market posters. Mohawk Everyday Digital and Mohawk Color Copy were used for numerous samples including books, postcards, brochures, and business cards. And, two Mohawk Dimensional products showcased high-quality, pre-converted prints for short-run packaging.

Canon also has been working with International Paper (IP), which has introduced the latest offering in its inkjet portfolio: Accent Opaque Super Smooth with ImageLok Technology has the look of a matte coated sheet in an uncoated treated product. This new paper has been developed in a partnership with Canon Solutions America and its Customer Experience Center in Boca Raton, FL. These products are available on a making roll basis in truckload minimums for the following weights:

• 60# (90gsm) Accent Opaque Super Smooth with ImageLok Technology
• 70# (105gsm) Accent Opaque Super Smooth with ImageLok Technology
• 80# (117gsm) Accent Opaque Super Smooth with ImageLok Technology
• 100#/ 7 Point (151gsm) Accent Opaque Super Smooth with ImageLok Technology
• 134#/ 9 Point (200gsm) Accent Opaque Super Smooth with ImageLok Technology

At HP’s exhibits, Mohawk substrates ran on a variety of Indigo presses. HP highlighted Mohawk Via Linen i-Tone and Mohawk Everyday Digital Uncoated to showcase the outstanding print quality on a variety of applications.

GPA Specialty Substrate Solutions showcased its comprehensive product offering for HP Indigo 10000 presses -- and shared with attendees, who either own or are considering purchasing this press, endless ways to push this press technology to the limit by using substrates.

Meanwhile, digital cutting manufacturer Zünd showcased the potential of pairing high-quality substrates with innovative cut technology by running live equipment demonstrations on GPA’s Ultra Digital 12 pt. White Matte C1S Board, producing samples featuring famous Chicago landmarks.

Attendees with wide-format press equipment explored GPA’s latest printed samples and newly expanded offering of substrates for wide-format presses.

(Watch a seven-minute video of GPA’s senior VP of sales, David Maucieri.)

Konica Minolta featured a variety of Mohawk substrates such as Everyday Digital Gloss and Silk, Dimensional Products, Saybrook Envelopes, Options Navajo, and Mohawk Color Copy. Its bizhub PRESS models, including the 2250, C1100 and C71HC, used these to produce booklet covers and booklets, photobooks, posters, 3D boxes, note cards and greeting cards, and packaging applications.

More in-booth demos

MGI showcased a variety of Mohawk digital substrates as demos on the color Meteor DP 8700XL+, including Mohawk Everyday Digital, Mohawk Dimensional White Vertical Tent Cards and White Toothpaste Boxes; Saybrook 10×13˝ Booklet and Catalog Envelopes; Mohawk Synthetic Premium Polyester Clear; Mohawk Pressure Sensitive Labels Circle Kisscut, Vinyl White Ultra Removable, Vinyl Frosty Clear Ultra Removable, and Vinyl Frosty Clear Ultra Cling. MGI also used its JETvarnish3D and iFOIL solutions printing press to feature a variety of specialty processes such as foiling, embossing, and UV coating on Mohawk papers and substrates. A first-of-its-kind personalized digital foiling demo was conducted during the show.

Mohawk also is the premier media sponsor of Ricoh’s “5th Color Station Kit” to support the launch of the new Ricoh PRO C7100X series of digital presses. Additionally, a variety of Mohawk papers and substrates were featured on the new Ricoh PRO C7100X/C7110X/C7100SX/C7110SX digital presses at Graph Expo.

Ricoh highlighted numerous applications from the 5th Color Station Kit to highlight the depth and breadth of Mohawk Digital substrates. Featured products include Mohawk Everyday Digital Gloss in various cover and text weights, Mohawk Embedded 4-up Magnetic Postcards Silk, Mohawk Synthetic Premium Polyester Clear and White and Mohawk Pressure Sensitive Polyester Clear Ultra Cling Adhesive.

Xerox featured a broad selection of Mohawk fine papers and substrates including Mohawk Superfine with i-Tone for posters and Mohawk Superfine Dimensional for toy boxes printed on the Versant 80 press. Mohawk Superfine also was featured on business cards (with gold ink) and a Polish Pottery brochure on the Xerox Color 1000i Digital Press. The Color1000i press highlighted distinctive report covers printed on Mohawk Via Vellum Black. A variety of envelopes were printed on the Versant 80 press in various styles and sizes, featuring Saybrook Envelopes as well as numerous Mohawk papers including Mohawk Everyday Digital and Superfine.

In addition, the Xerox IJP 2000 spotlighted Mohawk’s growing line of substrates specifically designed for emerging Memjet-class wide-format inkjet printers. The following four Mohawk inkjet media were highlighted to showcase a variety of applications:

• Mohawk Inkjet DuPont Tyvek featuring a water fast matte inkjet receptive coating
• Mohawk Inkjet Polyester Pressure Sensitive Permanent Adhesive featuring an aqueous matte coated polyeste
• Mohawk Inkjet Matte Backlit Film, an aqueous matte coated polyester backlit display film
• Mohawk Inkjet Textured Lightblock Film.

New Mohawk swatchbooks are available here.

Mitsubishi Paper Mills offers SWORDiJET, a premium coated production inkjet paper designed for direct mail and commercial print applications on high speed, continuous inkjet presses. SWORD iJET allows printers, using dye or pigment ink, to run at maximum production speed while using less ink without cockling, offsetting or bleeding and dry instantly.  SWORD iJET is available in gloss, satin, and matte with basis weights ranging from 60# text through 9 point.

Paper for package printing

Believe it or not, for the “Digi-Generation,” holiday gift cards made from plastic are out, while paper is in, according to Neenah Paper — especially when paper can look this cool. Folded, embossed, debossed, and foil stamped sleeve can house three, printed, paper gift cards produced on NEENAH IMAGEMAX Card and NEENAH DURAMAX Card. API Holo Foil Revolution + Blind Emboss are optional features.

Millennials are on the cutting edge of style and social networking, with disposable income to boot -- which may mean that they’re primed for packaging that replicates the sensation of luxury outside the retail environment. Neenah offers SILK Papers with tone-on-tone foil stamping on luscious hangtags, for example.

These Artisan Crafters were reared on cooking shows and food blogs, and today’s at-home cooks are hungry for ingredients with integrity, and sourced close to home, says Neenah. Not all labels are created equal: Marrying craftsmanship and creativity are the two things that matter most to these new-gen consumers — diecut labels and artful type can blend “artisanal” and “authentic” in a masterful recipe for irresistible results. In another illustration, NEENAH Folding Board, Deep Black creates three bottles that showcase labels for craft tequila, wine and olive oil on ESTATE LABEL and BELLA LABEL Papers.

These savvy “socials” are devoted to cultivating their online personas alongside their real-life personalities. They are image-conscious consumers who are quick to sniff out products and brands that feel inauthentic. Printers can capture this dynamic demographic with packaging that speaks in their voice and reflects them at their best. An iridescent digital printing paper such as Neenah STARDREAM Papers in Crystal, with silver and pink foil, catches the eye of even the most device-addicted shopper, and the combination of elegant finish and shine invites a tantalizing touch.

For eco-evangelizers, sustainability has never been so stylish or sleek. An eco-friendly iteration of practically every product is simply a click away. To connect with consumers that truly care about their footprint — and are compelled to share their experiences on social media — brands should look to sustainable packaging with a second life. How about a light bulb box that doubles as a lampshade? A minimalist pairing of recycled NEENAH Folding Board and ENVIRONMENT Papers with white ink can feel as stylish as it is sustainable.

“Neenah is always striving to inspire designers by introducing new papers, new techniques, and new ideas,” said Jamie Saunders, marketing communications manager of fine paper and packaging at Neenah. “We hope the Neenah Character promotion helps designers think about paper differently, consider paper as a possible driver in design, because often times a customer’s first introduction to the brand is through paper, when they pick up the package, hold it and interact with it.”

Positively Paper

At Graph Expo 2015, the North American subsidiary of Sappi (South African Paper and Pulp Industries, Ltd.) received the sixth annual Positively Print Award for its print-advocacy campaign: “A Communicator’s Guide to the Neuroscience of Touch” promotes print to creative designers, printers, advertisers, and corporate communicators.

The two-part Communicator’s Guide used printed brochures, six neuroscience video shorts, a micro-site, and live events with noted neurologist David Eagleman, MD, to showcase both advanced research on media and perception, and case studies from Apple, BMW, and the World Wildlife Fund on their use of print in integrated communications. “Sappi’s campaign not only provides graphic communicators with the science behind the effectiveness of print, but also showcases real world success stories from major international companies that have effectively integrated print into their communications,” said Ralph Nappi, president of the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC), who co-presented the award.

The impetus for the Sappi campaign came from a 2009 study which established that print leaves a “deeper footprint” in the brain than do electronic communications. Meanwhile, research by Dr. Eagleman found results consistent with earlier studies: people learn and remember best what they read on paper. His research also broke exciting new ground, finding that paper quality significantly affects those responses. Highlights of the research findings include:

• Brains are built to respond to touch.
• What we touch shapes what we feel, influencing perceptions both consciously and subconsciously about people, situations, companies, and brands.
• Tactile communications like paper cause people to exhibit a sense of ownership of the objects they read about, influencing buying decisions.

This is the sixth year for the Positively Print award which recognizes an organization that promotes the power, sustainability, and effectiveness of print. “We want to showcase companies that effectively advocate for print,” explained award co-presenter Phil Reibel, president of Two Sides North America. “Sappi’s Communicator’s Guide campaign is an outstanding example of such advocacy.”

View the video series and learn more at www.sappi.com/haptics.