Paper 101: Part 1
Understanding Finishes From Matte to Glossy
Written By: Katt Woodworth
Paper coatings can get confusing—even for the print-savvy. There are far too many names, half of them sound interchangeable, and a few seem like they were invented just to test your patience. So, here at NJC Printing, we figured we’d clear things up before another perfectly good design gets paired with the wrong finish.
In our shop, everything boils down to three main categories: Uncoated, Gloss, and Matte. Simple. Mostly.
Uncoated
Uncoated stocks are about as straightforward as it gets. Often called bond or offset, they are exactly what they sound like—paper with no coating whatsoever. No shine, no slick finish, no surprises.
They’re perfect for bulk printing, quick runs, or anything that needs to be written on. Pens behave, pencils cooperate, and nothing smears into a tragic mess.
The trade-off? Color. Without a coating, ink tends to soak in, which means your rich, vibrant design might come out looking a bit… restrained. Not bad—just quieter than you probably intended.
Coated Gloss
If uncoated is subtle, gloss is its loud, attention-grabbing counterpart. Gloss-coated stocks have a shiny, reflective surface that pushes colors to their fullest potential—bright, bold, and impossible to ignore.
They’re ideal for photos and image-heavy designs where you want everything to pop. And they will pop. Aggressively.
But with great shine comes great responsibility—or, more accurately, fingerprints. Gloss loves to show every smudge, every touch, every moment of human interaction. So if your piece is going to be handled a lot, just know it may start collecting evidence.
Coated Matte
And now, the troublemaker: matte. Not because it’s difficult—but because everyone insists on using the word incorrectly.
Let’s clear this up: matte-coated stock is still coated. It just doesn’t have the shine. If it’s uncoated, it’s not matte.
Matte offers a softer, low-sheen finish that sits comfortably between uncoated and gloss. Colors still look rich, details stay crisp, and readability improves thanks to the lack of glare. It’s smooth, it’s controlled, and it doesn’t scream for attention—it earns it.
In other words, matte is the professional middle ground. Less drama than gloss, more polish than uncoated.
Dull, Satin, Silk, Velvet… (a.k.a. Matte in a Fancy Coat)
Just when you think you’ve got matte figured out, the industry decides to rebrand it four different ways. Dull. Satin. Silk. Velvet. Because “matte” apparently wasn’t confusing enough.
Here’s the reality: these are all variations of matte-coated stock. Different mills, different names, same general idea. Low sheen, minimal glare, solid color reproduction.
Some may feel slightly smoother or softer, others a bit more muted—but functionally, they behave almost identically.
So yes, they sound luxurious. No, they are not entirely different species of paper. You’re still in matte territory—just with better marketing.
Conclusion: It’s Really Not That Complicated
At the end of the day, paper coatings aren’t nearly as mysterious as they’re made out to be. You’ve got uncoated for function, gloss for impact, and matte for balance—with a few extra names thrown in to keep things unnecessarily interesting.
Once you understand what each one actually does, the decision becomes simple: choose the finish that supports your design, not the one with the fanciest name. Because in print, how it performs will always matter more than what it’s called.