BHP Printing Blog

Glossy or Matte Brochures?

Glossy - Most designers and consumers love glossy paper. It makes your full-color brochure pop with brilliance by reflecting light off of the paper's surface. Deep, rich blacks and blues bounce off glossy brochures and other colors appear smoother, hotter or even more flamboyant on glossy paper. As paper goes, glossy paper is often less expensive than matte and is seen by some as the more professional option. That's not always the case, as glossy brochures do have some drawbacks. If they'll be changing hands a lot or placed in a dirty area, for instance, the coating that gives them their sheen may pick up fingerprints, smudges and dust.

Matte - By comparison, matte finishes offer a softer, glowing appeal that is perfect for new-age designs. In particular, the soft look of many Web 2.0 websites has inspired many designers to incorporate similar soft shadows, inner glows and other elements into their brochure designs. Matte paper is a better choice, because it helps the ink diffuse by limiting how much light is reflected off the paper's surface. High-quality matte paper can be more expensive than glossy paper but it will not retain fingerprints, smudges or dust. This makes matte a great choice for high-traffic areas or where the brochure in question will be passed around a lot.

Choosing the right paper - Whether you choose glossy or matte, make sure you go with a high-quality paper. If your design is bright, hard-hitting and bursting at the brim to tell customers the brochure's message, go with a good 100-pound text gloss paper .   If your design is softer, with a more thoughtful message and more subtle design, go with a 80-pound matte — especially if the brochure will see a lot of wear and tear.