What is the Best Card Stock Paper to Print Your Own Greeting Cards
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- Опубликовано: 5 июл 2024
- Not all card stock are created equal! Printing your own greeting cards can be a rewarding part of your creative business journey once you figure out the nuances people don't often talk about. One of those nuances is picking the right card stock. I spent the first 2 years of my business experimenting with several types of card stock and have narrowed down to 4 that I recommend. In this video, I'll share what I like/don't like about each, what 3 key factors you should consider when choosing a card stock for your designs, what I use for my greeting cards, and other things you may not have thought about.
0:00 Why shopping for card stock feels like shopping for white paint
0:53 First impression matters
2:01 Three key factors
4:14 Review 4 card stock types: classic white, linen, felt, cotton
9:48 Conclusion
11:15 Your questions and comments may become a future video
I created my own greeting card template to place 2 cards on a single page, now available in A2, A6 and A7 size: www.easysundayclub.com/collec....
Whether you are just starting out and not sure which paper is best for you, or you're ready to commit to a card stock to print your card designs, here are the card stock and paper companies I use for my business and recommend:
- Red River offers high quality card stock for artists and photographers. My favorites are their River Linen and Polar White Matte card stock: www.redrivercatalog.com/cards... Scroll to the bottom of the page to get a sample kit so you can choose the right card stock for you
- Unfortunately one of my recommended store for lower quantity card stock is going out of business. My current go-to supplier is (lower cost but you have to commit to higher quantity): www.thepapermillstore.com/car...
It took me a couple of years before I started buying card stock in bulk once I committed to a single type of card stock. It's ok to start with small quantity even if the cost per sheet is higher, but do make sure you cards are profitable!
Other greeting card materials and tools we use:
- Clear Bag A2 Sized: amzn.to/2Ub3vYl
Envelopes:
1. Inexpensive kraft envelopes if you just want one color/style: amzn.to/2RVJ52x
2. Wide range of colors/styles, you can purchase individual envelopes or mix colors: www.cardsandpockets.com/a2-eu...
- Epson V600 Scanner: amzn.to/3aMT0QB
- Electric Creasing Machine: amzn.to/2vw9Djt
- Manual Scoring Board (what we were using before): amzn.to/37w2YUx
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Cathy is a self taught watercolor artist based in Los Angeles, CA. Easy Sunday Club was started by Cathy and her husband Nam and is a collection of Cathy's modern paintings, art prints, and baby/children's soft goods that showcase playful interpretations of subjects in her expressive painting style. Prior to art, Cathy got an MBA and worked in corporate for 10 years and Nam is an attorney. This channel is our way of giving back to the art community and covers Watercolor Tutorials, How To Videos, Product Reviews and the Business of Art.
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DISCLAIMER: Some links included here might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you. Thank you for supporting Easy Sunday Club and enabling me to provide you with free educational content!
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Shop: www.easysundayclub.com
Instagram: / easysundayclub
Clubhouse: @cathyz
Facebook: / easysundayclub
Patreon: / easysundayclub
Donate(Paypal): tinyurl.com/y3kkxs54
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A full list of the equipment we use is available at our website here: www.easysundayclub.com/pages/...
Hi this video was amazing !! But the company is going out of business when I clicked the link what the alternative do you have another website
Thanks for letting me know. I've edited the links in the video description with updated recommendations!
@@KobieK Going out of business doesn’t make it bogus. Paper and More relied heavily on the wedding industry and couldn’t survive the pandemic, but it was a legitimate business. Have some empathy rather than jumping to criticism and judgment.
@@KobieK wow they did this for free as a service. They can not control when businesses close.
Thanks you @easysundayclub for the video. This was very helpful!
Thank you so much for this! Nobody talks about what card stock they use and it’s so frustrating!!
Agree. Trying to share and pass along what we have learned along the way :)
@@EasySundayClub thank you, I wish more small business owners were this generous with their experience and knowledge lol. I’m a firm believer in the saying ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’
so am I! And we plan to show what we believe in through action. Thanks for the supportive note.
So helpful! I appreciate your tutorials and advice!
Thanks for this - gives me a good starting point for printing my Christmas cards from my daughters beautiful drawings
Thank you so much for sharing this information! I am so happy I found your channel. Congratulations, wishing you all the best!
Thank you Suzanne. Best of luck on your art journey!
Thank you so much for this EXTREMELY helpful information! ❤️ I just ordered some samples through your link and will definitely go through your link again for future orders. I love Paper and More and have dealt with them in the past - they’re fantastic!
Definitely they have so many options. Best of luck on your creative journey!
Thank you SO much for all of these great tips and resources. I appreciate it!
glad to be a helpful resource :)
As soon as i see a video i must get my pen and book, time to learn. Thank you Cathy. I appreciate you.
Tomorrow is a long one! Hope u enjoy tho and thank you always for the positivity.
Suggestion: if you like that premium texture stock's feel, and don't want to babysit the printer, make your print file two pages and keep the second page blank. Then alternate a sheet of premium, then a sheet of standard bond, for as many prints as you intend to do. The bond paper will act as a lubricant between those grabby card stock prints.
thats smart, thanks for sharing!
Thank you for clearing up what card stock I should use in making cards. You captured a perfectly whimsical otter.
Great to hear! Cheers Shari!
Your videos are always so informative. Thank you for sharing valuable information!
Thank you Jaclyn. Best of luck on your art journey. Let us know what other topics you want to see :)
Not a boring topic, Cathy! You guys talk about all the easily overlooked details! ♥ Thank you!
You’re welcome Shannon! Be well :)
Thank you Cathy for sharing this wonderful information. Your channel has been very helpful to me :)) You are amazing.
Your welcome Su. Hope your art journey is going well.
This has helped so much. Thank you.
Thank You so much, I am so glad I found you on RUclips!
You are so welcome! Thank you for the support :)
Thank you so much. It was detailed and helpful.
Thank you, we try!
Hi Cathy,
I hope that you are well and that business is good.
I just wanted to say that your video ref :- How to Choose the Right Card Stock Paper to Print Your Own Greeting Cards, is incredibly helpful as well as being very intuitive it went into great detail about weight and texture which I found to be incredibly helpful well at least for me.
I too need to be very aware of the paper and card stock that I use in my own business as it is absolutely paramount if I want my business to continue being successful not only for the here and now but also for future proofing as I'm sure you'll agree.
Finding out what works for your business is 100 percent paramount.
Thank you once again for your truly inspirational videos, bye for now and I look forward to watching and indeed learning from your upcoming videos in the future.
Thank you for the support Mac : ) We tried to find other videos touching on the same topic but did not find a lot out there. Let us know what paper you end up with! - Nam
THANK YOU!!!!!!! so ,so much for your videos you are helping me not to keep wasting time and money. I messed up on a huge order and wish I found this information earlier
This fuels us ty for ur support!
This was so helpful - Thank you!!
Glad it was helpful!
thank you for all the information! it was very helpful! :)
Be well!
Thanks for all the detailed information.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for this - really helpful!
Great !
So helpful!! Thank you!!
Thank you so much for this video!! You saved me SO MUCH time and headache figuring out paper. I invested in an Epson 8500 printer to make cards and was just not impressed with the quality of my watercolor prints. Turns out, it was the paper! The River Linen paper is INCREDIBLE. Thank you!!
Hi Carolyn, with your Epson 8500 can you load multiple sheets of card into the back of it without it jamming or do you have to load individual sheets of card? I’m considering trying this printer too! Thank you!! Lisa
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge
You are very welcome!
Thank you very much🙂 your video was helpful to me 🌹
This is so so helpful. Thank you so much for making a video explanation of all the types of papers. Do you have a printer recommendation? I was looking into the Ecotank 8500, do you know if this one has good print quality on matte cardstock ?
This was so helpful. Thanks!
Youre welcome!
Thanks for this video, especially for the novice card creators!!
Your welcome!
Thank you so much, it’s really helpful
:) thank you for the support S Y
Thankyou for a new UK card maker, really informative
you’re welcome! good luck with your card making journey.
Thank you for the advise 💕
: )
This was excellent, thank you
Thanks Sharon!
Thank you for the info v helpful indeed
Thank you for sharing this 🙏👍
no problem. thanks for watching!
I love your videos! I’ve been sampling cardstock so exactly helpful! I found the perfect one to use, except it only comes in 80# :(. Thanks for covering this!
Interesting! What do you like about the paper? Thank you for the support!
Easy Sunday Club Hi Cathy, I was looking for a recycled paper with some multi-color fibers in it, precisely to make the texture more interesting, without being overwhelming. I found one that has minimal specks and just the off-white I was looking for. I wish they make it heavier weight because I can tell the difference for sure! I’m consoling myself that at least it will be easy on the printer...
As someone who is just looking to do this for personal use - THANK YOU. I walk around paper aisles with a complete Duh Face, and I don’t feel like I’m tapped into the card making community enough to understand weight and all that. This is a great starter point.
Thanks for sharing!! Really glad this helped :) You are welcome!
Thanks a lot! Great help!
Thank you let us know what paper you go with!
Fantastic video! Tysm!!
you’re welcome!
I saw a Corgi, subbed before things got started :D
Our fur child 🙂. he is no longer with us but will always be remembered through our videos. Thanks for subbing!
Thanks so much for the information I wonder do you know what printer do you recommend to start on a budget? I’m planning to open a greeting business in my country and your videos are helping me so I’m so thankful for that 😊
Hi Jose: there are two videos i would recommend u watch that we made: budget greeting card business set up and top 2020 printers for artists and greeting card makers. Good luck!
Very helpful thanks
Hey Great video ! Im not familiar with a greeting card, but I wanted to add a note with selling my candles to customers with just some instructions an a thank you to them, I just got the idea to do it on a better paper, more premium than just printer paper, so really just want to know whats the best bang for your buck for a good paper that is kind of thick but not too much for a regular printer, but just makes a nice print.
VERY HELPFUL!!
Thank you for the support Ayomide and best of luck!
I appreciate this so much, I am trying to print cards with my photography on it! Why does the research out there have to be so hard! Thank you for this!
Thank you KEZ. I think people want to protect their trade secrets or dont have time to share. We really enjoy democratizing info and giving back to the community that has helped us along the way. Be well.
Yes thank you! Can I ask you guys if you know canon pixma handles cardstock? I've been looking everywhere and am struggling to find a. Answer
Its good. Canon coming up. Check out video i did reviewing best printers for artists 2020
Thank you so much! I love you guys’ enthusiasm. I’m an aspiring entrepreneur with a passion for greeting cards and gifts. If I may ask, have you ever just decided to also have them printed out in mass quantities at a Vistaprint? I assume it’s more profitable? Or are you more focused on the handmade artistic quality of your cards? I apologize in advance if this was answered. Thank you so much!
We made a whole video about it :) check it out and let us know what u think! ruclips.net/video/JozSeE5gyK0/видео.html
I use a linen card and director card (light ivory color with texture).
Nice! Thx for sharing :)
you taught me a lot thx.
Thanks Ric
I have trouble connecting to it wirelessly,besides that,awesome.
Hi Cathy & Nam, could you please also cover the best paper for art prints for a future video? Would be so helpful!! Thank you!!!
Here you go! ruclips.net/video/4a8912T1tAM/видео.html . We make watercolor art so Epson Premium Presentation Matte is what makes our art pop the most while still being affordable and still auto feeds. We go through other papers that we have tried in the past and explain why we settled on this one. Let us know if it helps!
Easy Sunday Club Thank you!!
Hello thank you for the info.. I do foiling art on cardstock currently used a 80lb from hobby lobby..but I want to use a much thicker paper cause I want my customers to have a more study paper that won't bend easily and remains hard for the long haul.. What do you think about 130 lbs for foiled wall art ?
HI! Thank you for all the helpful information. What type of printer do you use to print your cards?
Hi Angela. We review the printer we have here: ruclips.net/video/DI9Fr8vhRIk/видео.html&t . We also have reviewed different classes of fine art printers we recommend: ruclips.net/video/fT_EkzUj59k/видео.html&t Thank you for the support!
this was a great video
Glad you enjoyed it
Hi, I need huge help with printing... I have a canon pro 100s and I’m really struggling to get good prints. Please can you help me with settings I should be using and the paper I use is a hammered paper 300gsm and plain 300gsm stock card. PLEASE HELP ME
I'd love to know what you recommend for business cards/ jewelry card holder
I’m just discovering your channel. Thank you for the recommendations, I will check them out. I had ordered the Red River greeting card stock, so many people gave it glowing reviews. But at 60 lb. It seems awfully thin. I don’t quite understand the hype surrounding it. Maybe it’s the print quality compared to other card stocks(?)
60lb is thin for greeting cards imo. Red River has a large selection of papers for diff needs, so it’s about finding the right one for your needs.
Hi. What printers would you recommend for printing up to 300gsm card stocks. Thanks.
Thank you!!! I am struggling to get the printer color profile right on the Via Linen Pure White, would you be able to share what you use? Thanks for a great video!
we made a video sharing our printer and paper settings on photoshop a few months ago; search for “printer setting” on our channel.
@@EasySundayClub Thank you!! :)
Thank you..can you do a video on type or printers?
we got one coming up and is current being edited! subscribe to be notified when it’s out :).
hello! I'm going to be making my own poetry on my greeting cards. would you know if i have to create an LLC for my business or not?
So helpful x
good to know!
@@EasySundayClub finally got the p900, bought it used for 180 - I got lucky and it was in warranty so epson replaced the casing/motherboard/print heads for free and sent it back super smooth process... finally buying samples. Looking for card stock suppliers in the UK, going through several companies. Baby steps :)
Found kraft envelopes, cello, board mailers.. Trying to find the right 300 - 350gsm gloss one sided. I'm very picky so it will take some time. Bought a 20inch creaser that you have its great. Shipping in from czech republic on eBay if anyone in the UK is interested xx
Your videos have been so valuable to learn from your experience. I'm so thankful xxx
@@EasySundayClub starting with A6 but intend to so square and larger once I get my head around things.
I've been designing basic stuff for different types of products and been selling stuff for over a year on etsy but i want to do a4 - a2 prints and greetings cards. Now to make the steps to achieve it x
@@EasySundayClub I would say it would be interesting to know the printer settings for the different types of paper. There's so many options I'm finding. I'll test what settings and paper works with what.
I did a 1440 dpi print to 300gsm bright white and the colour looked a bit flat/muted
Waiting for all my samples to arrive to test.. 10 inks cost £300 - £380 depending where you shop online
My printer is not printing car stock used to, and then stop in the settings doesn’t say heavy or hard paper. Which settings would you recommend it?
Thank you so much for this explanation. Quick question, which printer do you use to print greeting cards ? inkjet of laser ? Thank you !
we use Epson SureColor P800. We have a video on our channel reviewing this printer!
Thank you for all your helpful videos! I actually went with the basic smooth 110lbs white cardstock, but unfortunately got a negative review from a customer who said the quality of the cardstock was too thin. :( The search but the perfect cardstock for me continues haha
that is so surprising to me considering most cards in mass retail stores are thinner! If you look at a reference chart, most consider 110lb to be on the heavier end: finecardstock.com/topic/cardstock-weight-guide/. That customer might be an outlier.
Is this same as the notebook cover material that is stapled along with the pages?
Trying to find cardstock that works well with an inkjet. I have been having issues with colors not being vibrant, or too dark on my printer. I will have to order some samples to test the paper out!
based on comments and feedback, people seem to like the paper from Red River!
Thank you for this. Are there any printers who can print large quantities of card in the U.S you advise with?
We are coming out with an outsource printing video this Wed at 8 am PST. It will compare outsource vs in house pricing and some additional considerations. Here are a list of printers we used for the comparison: - www.paperandmore.com/ (Lowest Price)
- www.cardsandpockets.com/ (Second Lowest Price)
- www.stationeryhq.com/ (Tied for highest price but most recommended and best quality)
- www.blackriverimaging.com/ (Tied for highest price)
@@EasySundayClub thank you so much for this.
I making a list of all of the supplies that I need so this video is perfect. I would like to know why you guys use the letter size sheets and cut them instead of the 8.5x5.5 precut paper that is already scored? Is it strictly due to cost or is there another reason? Thanks
it’s due to cost. we streamlined our printing and cutting process and have good equipment, so there’s no need to pay someone else to do it unless the volume becomes unmanageable.
@@EasySundayClub Thanks for taking time to answer. You guys are so helpful!
Did you have to download ICC profiles for these papers? If not, what paper settings do you use?
We use Epson hot press bright Icc profile for all of our prints and greeting cards. it just worked out the best for my art even if we don’t print on that paper.
Hi there! Thank you for such great information. I am a wildlife photographer, and am wanting to print cards of photos that I have a "Watercolor" filter on (bird pictures, but just with a watercolor "effect"). What paper would you choose for this project? Thank you!
If it still looks more like a photograph than watercolor, then I think a glossy paper would still be nice. Glossy/ coated paper seems to display photo colors better but a bright white smooth matte paper could work too.
What printer do you recommend for stock paper Cathy?
Your new recommendation for paper goes to a list of paper. Is there one in particular you recommend? Thanks.
My go-to is any of the #100 linen card stock. I like them best for my watercolor however other options may be better for different mediums.
What is the typical type of paper that is sold in store for greeting cards? Like the traditional hallmark type of paper for greeting cards? I'm looking for that. Any advice? Any help? Where to buy it? I'm not finding much info out there
Based on the weight and texture, the cards we see at big retailers probably use 80-90lb semi gloss card stock. They should be available at the websites I linked in the video description.
Thanks for sharing, i'm also having a hard time finding the right paper.
May i know what printer do you use?
we have a few videos on our channel about printers!
Can you show the best epson printers your print the best quality?
This has been such a helpful video for me, thank you so much!!! But I see the linen paper you recommended is not available anywhere :((( Where are you buying it now?
Yes 100lb linen seems to be harder to find these days :(. I still have a lot of stock for now but if it's still out of stock by the time I need to reorder, I may consider switching back to the 110lb felt cardstock mentioned in the video as that one best mimics watercolor paper.
@@EasySundayClub Thank you! I see that Bright White Linen Card Stock 130 lb is available. Is it too heavy / bad color? :(
Imo that thickness is more appropriate for wedding invitation or flat cards, but too heavy for bi fold cards :/.
What printer do you use? Have you done a video on printers? Thank you for sharing.
Yes we have a video on the printer we use and another one on best printers at different price points.
Hey. Love all your videos. I sell wrapping paper and am moving into cards.
Quick question. Are any of the card stocks you mention coated for inkjet? or are they uncoated?
TIA
the linen and felt are uncoated. I don’t remember the others as I haven’t used them in a long time but they should say in the product listings of the Paper Mill site.
@@EasySundayClub Thank you for the quick reply. I take it you prefer uncoated as it fits with the water color style? I do more bold colour patterns and computer illustrated designs, and the uncoated paper just seems to suck the life out of the design :( But the coated stuff is more expensive and less choice.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Wow. Seriously. I am having the hardest time getting my greeting cards to print with a deep enough black. I want my cards to be the highest possibly quality without totally losing money 😅
What printer do you use??
we have a few printer recommendation videos :). We use Epson P800 which has been replaced by P900.
What paper would you recommend for sending a postcard, through the mail without an envelope? I was thinking semi-gloss? Thanks in advance.
Semi gloss is fine but make sure the paper is compatible with inkjet printer if that’s what you’re using, since some will cause bleed. Depending on the art you’re printing, gloss might be the way to go. g’luck!
thank you
Your welcome!
Where are you buying Bright White Linen 110# from? I went to the link you shared and the only weights I can find for Bright White Linen are 80#, 84#, 100#, and 130#.
I wrote in my caption that I misspoke about the 110# linen. It was always 100#.
Hey! What kind of printers do you recommend for someone just starting?
Hi Gabrielle. Check out the budget stationary/ greeting card set up video we just made or best printers of 2020 video.
Does EPSON 8050 works for these stock?
I tried to find your paper on papermill.com however I don't see a 100lb, only an 80 lb option in the Via Linen Pure White. Do you have the direct link?
What kind of printer do you recommend? I’m struggling finding the right one. I’m trying an hp . Thanks !
we have a video on recommended printers! it should be one of the highest viewed videos on our channel.
What printer do you suggest
Hi Great Video I'm a New Subscriber, Im Looking For Super glossy Card-stock, Glossy outside and Matte Inside. Is there such an item? I couldn't find any.. Thanks
I got 110lb cardstock (Neenah brand) and honestly it feels thin and flimsy. When I feel a card from a store, it's far more sturdy. Is there something I'm missing with the paper specs? I don't want to buy more until I know what I got wrong because this definitely isn't usable for cards.
Also, thanks for making this!
All the paper vernacular is very confusing for most people who don't live and breath card stock IMO, including myself. My best guess is you might have gotten 110lb index weight or text weight vs cover weight. Here's a link that explains it and the chart shows 110lb index weight is thinner than 110lb cover: www.ryanprintinginc.com/pages/paper-stock-grades-finish-and-weight
@@EasySundayClub oh! That must be it. Thank you so much!
What specific cardstock do you get from the PaperMill Store? I ordered a couple samples... and made the mistake of ordering paper meant for a laser printer not an inkjet. I don't want to waste more money and would love to know what specific paper from that store has worked for you
oh no! we love the Via Linen by Mohawk and we print with inkjet.
Can you recommend a good all in one cardstock printer for at home business. Thanks
i have two videos to recommend to you in our backlog: best art printers and setting up an greeting card studio for under $500.
@@EasySundayClub thank you!!!
What printer do you use?
what size envelop are you using for cards made from 8.5 x 11
each sheet makes 2 cards bifold so they fit perfectly in A2 (4.25x5.5 inch in US) envelopes
is this the same paper you use for art prints?
Iv been searching for weeks for cardstock so if anyone has bought some recently , please let me know where! Everywhere mentioned in the video is out of stock or just so outdated now doesn’t sell anymore. I need 100-110lb linen bright white 8.5/11” cardstock 🤞 Cannot begin greeting card business without the actual card haha
im soo confused!!!! but now, im less confused!!!!!
Hello, I recently starting crafting cards and have tried a few different cardstock brands that I had laying around and then I ordered Neenah Cardstock - Heavyweight, 110 lb/199 gsm Index, 94 Brightness, 8.5" x 11", 300 Sheets from Amazon which I thought was a great deal..it cuts nicely and seems to score ok until I fold and complete the score The problem is once it's scored completely it looks horrible and frayed..can you Please help and recommend a brand I can order from Amazon that will print and score decently. I just want to send out beautiful cards that don't look tacky. I'm sending back what I bought to get a credit that's why I'm hoping you can recommend something from Amazon.
did you score from outside of the card, not inside? when folded the scored side should be facing outwards. scoring the wrong side could cause the fray, also could a cardstock that’s too fibrous (cotton, etc). Any cardstock with smooth matte surface should be fine. We have some listed in our video.
🧡
:)
Which paper is waterproof? If the postman walks through the rain cards can be damaged upon delivery. Which paper can prvent this?
Proper packaging.
Can i write on a cardstock using pens? Will it smudge or something?
Yes you can. Depends on the pen but just let it dry.