Unique Paper: Breaking through the Clutter
Interesting communication pieces, using specialty paper or unique designs, are being used to break through the clutter that competes for the consumer’s attention.
Interesting communication pieces, using specialty paper or unique designs, are being used to break through the clutter that competes for the consumer’s attention. A case in point is the award-winning folded invitation to last fall’s annual Unisource Chicago Paper Show, printed on Classic Linen...
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Nekoosa's MagnaCote has a thinner, lighter magnet extruded to the back, rather than laminated onto it, says Brian Cummings, Product Development Specialist, Nekoosa Coated Products. “It has all the performance of a magnet, but the substrate can run through production digital printers and offset presses with ease.”
MagneCote combines premium-coated papers with a proprietary magnetic layer, says Cummings. It can be saddle-stitched, perfect bound, foil stamped, embossed, die cut, scored, folded, or perforated.
No Wear or Tear
Along with the pre-magnetized substrate, “Nekoosa’s Synaps Digital XM synthetic product is also seeing tremendous growth,” says Cummings. Synaps Digital XM, a polyester-based synthetic paper engineered for high heat, dry toner digital printing, has incredible tear strength, and can hold up in any environmental condition, says Cummings. When toner fuses with the synthetic paper, the finished product is both durable and naturally resistant to water, chemicals and grease.
“Most vinyls are not going to react well to heat,” explains Cummings. “They are going to stretch and melt. Our polyester paper has a melting point that is much higher than the fusing heat of toner. It is dimensionally stable; it can run right through digital printers.”
One major grocer is using Synaps Digital to create signage for the produce and deli departments, damp environments that require durable signs. The grocer is creating signs on Synaps 12x18-inch sheets with custom pricing and custom graphics for every story in the country. With Synaps Digital, even the smallest retailers can now create professional looking custom signs when something is on sale, or larger, national chains can make regional or language changes quickly and easily, says Cummings.
“Retailers of all sizes are taking advantage of digital printing, and the availability of high quality graphics on a substrate that is durable and can withstand water and weather and still look good,” says Cummings.
Time to Look at Synthetics
At Mohawk, synthetics and embedded magnetic sheets are also taking off.
To celebrate March Madness with a bracket challenge, Metropolitan Printing Service (Bloomington, IN) created an embedded magnet postcard, concluding that recipients would be more like likely to hang on the message.
Anne Thomas from TOMA Objects (Montreal) used Mohawk Synthetic PVC 10 mil for her new series of paper clocks. The project, printed in small quantities on an HP Indigo press, required a substrate that was water and tear resistant. The substrate suggestion came from paper rep Marie-Michele Lanoix from Spicers, and printer Quadriscan,
Mohawk Dimensional’s portfolio includes pre-perforated and pre-scored packaging, promotional, and presentation products for custom packaging and three-dimensional products. “We are taking our premium paper substrates, and created pre-converted sheets, in all digital sheet sizes,” says Harrold. “They arrive at the printer, boxed like traditional paper, but they are product specific. We are launching eight formats: cube boxes, gift boxes, table tent cards, pocket folders, golf ball sleeves, wine bottle boxes, greeting cards, and door hangers.”
The products are made with Mohawk grades Superfine Eggshell i-Tone, Via Liden i-Tone, and Synthetics.
“When we built this new addition to our diverse digital portfolio, we wanted to be able offer day-to-day house sheets that can be turned into very application-specific products, like a custom box for a wine bottle,” says Harrold. “We are taking the pre-converting form in this product category and turning it on its head, providing custom packaging design for a broader range of paper.”
Our motivation, says Harrold, is “how can we bring to digital printers the capability of high value print applications they can offer their customer with a low investment upfront. Now, they can expand their engagement with current customers or find new customers. They can offer their customers customized, one-of-a-kind packages on demand. It allows printers to cast a bigger shadow in marketplace without having to invest in finishing equipment."
