Price is still king in the matt and silk papers market. Although this sector is starting to recover from the impact of the recession, last year production for coated papers fell as end-buyers dropped projects as they looked for ways to save money.
"Cost has been an issue in the market over the past 12 months," explains Andrew Dunning, director at paper agency Papico. "At the beginning of last year, price rises were pretty static, but end-users were looking to cut their costs."
Papico represents the Gori?cane paper mill in the Republic of Slovenia, which produces lighter-weight papers than those usually sold in the sector. Despite the pressures in the market, Dunning says there has been an increase in demand for the product.
High bulk
One of the compromises in going for lighter paper weights is that they typically use a single-blade coating, rather than double, so they're not a typical art paper. However, this ensures a good fibre-to-coating ratio, claims Dunning.
"You have to consider the thickness and calliper of the paper," he says. "With matt papers that have a good bulk, you can drop from 90gsm to 60gsm, but still have the feel of a 90gsm paper."
Matt paper is coated with a mixture of chalk and clay to give it a dull matt finish. To produce a silk finish, the chalk or clay coated paper is put through a set of pressured, heated rollers to give a subtle sheer appearance.
Qualities like whiteness, smoothness and bulk are what distinguish matt from silk art paper.
Demand for matt papers is particularly high in the production of art and photographic books, where good quality reproduction without the glare associated with gloss is required. The added stiffness and bulk of a matt-coated paper can bring a natural, smooth feel to the product.
As the inkjet market continues to grow, the demand for art papers that can cope with this technology is expected to grow in tandem.
Right now, there are only a handful of art paper suppliers that cater to this sector, but it's anticipated that this situation will change. For example, last month, HP announced it was working with Appleton coated papers to develop coated papers for its T300 inkjet web press, but this development is currently only available in North America.
WHAT'S NEW IN MATT & SILK ART PAPER
• Torraspapel has launched CreatorUrban, a paper line designed for outdoor use on billboards, posters and point-of-sale advertising. Released in March, it comes in weights of 135gsm and 200gsm
• Last month, HP announced a partnership with paper manufacturer Appleton Coated for the development of coated papers for use on its T300. The papers will be available in North America
• In January, Sappi introduced Galerie Fine Silk. The manufacturer says that because of increasing pressure for differentiation within printed publications, there is a greater call for coated papers with a silk surface
• Arjowiggins has worked with design agency Bostock & Pollitt to create a new environmental illustration book titled What One Tree Means To Me. The aim is to showcase the work of both young and established illustrators and promote sustainable paper usage. A number of matt and silk art papers are used in the book
• Premier Paper Group’s Evolution 100 Premium Silk was used for FSC UK’s latest annual report
