Our recommendation is to not have solid coverage over large areas of the stock so that the texture of the paper can be seen through the design (in other words, use lots of white space in your design). As this is an Uncoated card stock, we recommend reviewing: Design considerations for Uncoated. There are also a few additional considerations:
Textured Stock
The texture of the stock will show through your design and affect how your design will appear. Due to this natural characteristic, the printed areas of the end product may appear inconsistent or slightly patchy.
Although minimalistic designs are most suitable for this stock, the Pulp texture can create a nice, rustic, and artistic feel which is what some are going after. If this is not what you are looking for, or if your design has a lot of color and heavy coverage, we suggest a smooth, white and coated stock for optimal results.
Fine Detail
Due to the slight texture of this stock, it cannot hold fine detail as well. The finest detail we recommend is 0.4pt line-weight; however, please note that light colors or lines that are not solid (such as dotted lines) should be made thicker.
Margin and Shifting
When creating your design, any important content (text and graphics) should be placed away from the edge (or trim line) to avoid being trimmed due to the unavoidable shifts that may occur during the production process.
We recommend a safety margin of 0.25 inches away from the trim line for this product - that is 0.375" from the bleed. Due to the nature of the stock, it can shift significantly during printing and trimming processes. Shifts of 0.0625" to 0.125" can occur (which can cause your design appear off-center).
We take all necessary precautions to avoid as much shifting as possible, however this risk is higher with this stock.
Color (Paper and Inks)
The color of the paper stock will affect the overall appearance of your design. Lighter colors of your design may not be very visible on a colored stock, and medium to darker colors tend to appear darker when printed on a colored stock. Darker colored stocks are only suitable to be printed with dark colors and black.
Photographs and gradients are not recommended as the colored stock will greatly alter the colors. Minimal colors and simple designs are best.
If you are using a color in your design and are unsure of how the printed piece will appear, you may order a Printed Proof by submitting a Custom Quotation.
White Print
By default, we offer CMYK digital printing on our Pulp stocks which consists of Cyan, Yellow, Magenta and Black inks. White, is therefore not available unless an additional printing process such as Screen Print or Foil is added.
When supplying your print-ready (design) files or viewing the Online PDF proof we provide with your print order, please note that the white areas are considered transparent - they represent the color of the stock you chose.
If your finished product requires white, you will need to add Screen Print or Foil to your order. Choose either of these as an option when building your product on the product page. If you wish to add white ink to an existing print order that you have already placed, please call our Customer Service Line.