Coated Stock Explained

Stock is a term used in the printing industry and refers to the material that is to be printed on, for example, paper, card, vinyl etc.

As the name suggests, coated stock has a coating and this is usually of china clay, this gives the paper/card a smooth surface which can be gloss or silk in finish (gloss being shiny and silk offering more of a matt finish). Coated stock is used for projects that require a high quality finish such as presentation folders, leaflets, flyers and brochures, the list goes on!

Coated stock does have its downsides, it cannot be printed on with a home printer and neither gloss or silk coated stock offer a perfect writing surface, with biro’s tending to smudge on both (especially gloss).

Uncoated stock is typically used for letterheads and compliment slips as they can be printed on at home and written on without problems. A single side coated stock is also available and ideal for postcards and greetings cards, as the name suggests single side coated stock has a coating to one side only, this leaves the other side uncoated and perfect to write on.

TIP: Many printers offer a silk stock for postcards and greetings cards, in the majority of cases this will suffice, however, if you need to hand write on your product then choose a single side coated stock (we offer this as standard).