Paper purchasing trends

In the world of paper, where shades and colors seem to change more frequently than forest floor shadows on a windy, sun-drenched day, it often is difficult to get a grasp on what the most predominant or popular colors and weights are at the moment.

The best way to gauge paper purchasing habits

is to look beyond the trees and ask the experts how they see the climate changing. According to Mendy Willis, Specification representative for Appleton Coated, print shops are buying whites. "Brighter whites, bluer whites, any kind of whites," she says. In fact, to support that theory, Appleton Coated's Utopia line has done very well with a bluer-white shade. Many other mills also have added additional white shades.

According to Trip Jobe, director of Marketing for Neenah Paper, "White, blue-white, brighter and smoother," are the popular paper choices right now. He also says that his customers are looking for heavier stocks, particularly in cover weights for business cards and presentation folders. Neenah's fastest-- growing color is Solar White, and now the company has added Avalanche White to Classic Crest and Classic Laid. Avalanche White has a 99+ brightness in a bluer-white shade and also now is available in 130-lb. cover in a Super Smooth grade. Jobe says, "We started offering the heavier weights in cut size last May and June, and they have become our fastest growing items."