Your Personal Stationery Makes the First Impression

Your Personal
Stationery
Makes the First
Impression
Define Your Personal Brand
Y
our personalized stationery (envelopes,
note cards, letterhead, thank you cards,
correspondence cards, folded cards, business
cards, and envelopes) gives you the opportunity to
add your own individual style in every letter or note
you send.
In the age of social media, email, and digital
messengers, handwritten notes have transitioned
from a traditional form of communication to a form
of personal expression. The stationery that you send
should embody your own personal brand or, perhaps,
the impression that the recipient already has of you.
In some situations, you may want to change the
existing impression, but there is no need to worry.
There are countless stationery options to consider that
can show your personality. We have a creative team
at The Paperia who can help you select the perfect
personal stationery for a formal or causal message.
From the paper style to the graphic design, everything
about your stationery should personify “You.”
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What Type of Paper?
W
hen selecting a paper for your personal stationery there are several
options. Cotton papers are an exquisite and environmentally friendly
choice for fine stationery. Made from recovered cotton fibers, cotton
paper is inherently tree-free, and its production results in less waste compared
to other materials. Cotton papers are an excellent choice not only for elegant
invitations and personal stationery suites, but also for business purposes.
Cotton paper is durable and can accept print from a variety of processes in a
way that produces a rich, timeless effect. Like its source, cotton paper is soft to
the touch, and its fibers create a unique, crisp look upon which print stands out.
Another paper choice for fine stationery is paper made from wood fibers. Like
their cotton counterparts, such papers can vary greatly in weight (thickness) and
are suitable for various personal and business stationery needs. Quality wood
fiber papers are made from a combination of soft and hard wood fibers blended
to create a soft feel.
Aside from cotton and wood fiber papers, some stationery purveyors are offering
a variety of other materials, including plastics and other synthetics. These
choices are truly avant-garde and may be suitable for a variety of stationery
applications.
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How Thick Is My Paper?
A
nother consideration when selecting fine stationery is the thickness
of the paper, often referred to as the weight (indicated with a pound
symbol,#) such as 80#, or measured in points (pts.). For example
100# cover is roughly equivalent to 10 pt. stock.
Paper
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weights are usually categorized into one of three categories:
1. Text weight which is generally considered light weight paper and is
easily folded.
2. Cover weight which is heavier where durability is required.
3. Bond paper, similar in weight to Text paper, is commonly used for fine
stationery grade papers.
The Finish
M
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atte Finish is a flat fine finish that does not allow light to
reflect and offers no chance of a glare. Matte finish makes
a more professional or elegant impression providing a soft
textured feel.
Lamination - adds layered look creating a more durable feel.
Graphic Design
G
raphic Design of your stationery provides an opportunity to showcase
your creative side. Possibly you’re an artist and would like to provide
some type of logo or symbol that you created on your stationery.
No matter how you decide to graphically design your personalized stationery,
be sure that it embodies your own personal brand, style and personality. The
recipients of your message will always associate those graphics with you.
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What About The Font?
hoosing the right font for your stationery is important. The font
sets the tone of your stationery from modern to classical, from formal
to informal.
Go with what you like, what feels comfortable and sets the feeling you want
to achieve.
Serif fonts, known as script, have letters with tails at the end and tend to
represent more of a formal font style.
San Serif fonts, knwon as block, do not have tails and represent more of a
casual feel.
Humanist fonts are inspired by handwriting that evoke a friendly tone.
More common fonts like “Arial” are referred to as realist fonts and are curvier
than Humanist fonts. These fonts represent a more stable tone.
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Printing Fine Stationery
T
here are a variety of printing processes to choose from when designing fine stationery
including engraving, embossing, letterpress, digital, thermography, foil, and flat printing.
The finest choice for printing stationery is engraving. Engraved stationery is truly timeless and an
exquisite choice for invitations, personal stationery, and business stationery. Engraved stationery
is made using a copper plate, called a die. A unique die is created for each custom design,
and for each color of the design. The design is etched into a die, creating cavities where ink is
deposited. Pressure is applied to the paper so that paper in the design area is pressed up into
the cavity. The design area then takes on the ink and the impression of the design.
Engraved stationery can be identified by this raised appearance and feel of the design, as well as
the underside of the paper, where the design areas have been indented.
To learn more about the other printing processes and their consideration for fine stationery,
please read our Design Guide: Paper and Printing Characteristics of Fine Stationery.
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Consider Costs
T
he cost of printing stationery can vary widely. It all depends on the
printing process, types of paper and quantity.
The choices in design options, printing method and type of paper are numerous.
Whether it’s sophisticated printing and a custom design or something simple and
minimalistic, our consultant can help you select a look and feel for your personal
stationery to fit every budget.
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Personalized Stationery Suite
W
hen designing your personal or business stationery, take time to
consider all the elements and options. The font, graphics, color, paper,
and overall design combine for a representation of your style or brand,
leaving your recipient with a favorable and memorable impression of you or your
business.
During the design process, it is very important to see and feel samples of papers
and printing processes. With each choice of material also comes choice of size,
weight, and shape, each creating a unique impression.
Colors appear differently on different papers when using different printing
processes. Be aware that online renderings may not accurately reflect such
subtleties.
Working with our design consultant to select and design your personal or
business stationery allows you to interact with the different printing materials
and processes to ultimately select the combination most suited for your style
and personal and business stationery needs.
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More questions?
Email us at
info@thepaperia.com
Suburban Square ● 43 Coulter Avenue ● Ardmore, PA 19003 ● 610.896.0968 ● SuburbanSquare@thePaperia.com
Chestnut Hill ● 8521 Germantown Avenue ● Philadelphia, PA 19118 ● 215.247.8521 ● ChestnutHill@thePaperia.com
www.thePaperia.com/invite-wedding-traditional