Material
Art Paper
Coated 128–300 gsm. The workhorse of consumer goods packaging — for folding cartons, sleeves, wraparound bands, and product inserts.
Weight range
128–300 gsm
Surface
Matte, silk, gloss
Print methods
Offset, digital, gravure, flexo
Best for
Folding cartons, sleeves, inserts
Recyclable
Yes
FSC certified
On request
Food-safe
Yes (FDA-compliant option)
MOQ
50 units
Overview
What it is.
Art paper is the Asia-market name for coated printing paper, used globally for the high-volume packaging formats that surround everyday consumer goods. It is the paper that wraps a tea box, that forms a perfume carton, that prints a chocolate sleeve, that lines a luxury gift box as a printed insert.\n\nWe stock art paper in matte, silk, and gloss finishes, in weights from 128 gsm (for lightweight sleeves and wraparound bands) through 300 gsm (for heavy-duty folding cartons). It runs through every print process in our facility and accepts every finish in our catalog.
Art paper vs other substrates
Art paper is the right choice when you need high-fidelity print and when the format is a folding carton, a sleeve, or an insert — i.e., when the substrate is not the structural element of the package. For the structural outer (a mailer box, a rigid setup box, a shipping carton), you would use corrugated board or rigid board, often with art paper laminated to the surface as the print layer.
For the inner of a rigid box, art paper is also the standard — the visible interior surface of a luxury setup box is almost always 157 gsm art paper, often with a soft-touch or pearlescent laminate, sometimes with custom print on the inside.
Common applications
Folding cartons are the highest-volume application for art paper — tuck-end boxes, auto-lock bottoms, five-panel folders, and straight tuck boxes all use 250–350 gsm C1S art paper as the standard substrate. Sleeves and wraparound bands are the second highest — a single sheet of 200–250 gsm art paper, printed, scored, and glued around the product. Inserts and cards are the third — 250–300 gsm art paper, often with a soft-touch laminate, printed and die-cut to fit inside a rigid box or to serve as a product information card.
We also supply art paper for point-of-sale displays, header cards, and shelf-talkers, all of which can be custom-cut and custom-printed to the same color specifications as the primary packaging.
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Frequently asked
Questions about art paper.
Is art paper the same as coated paper?
Yes — they refer to the same category of paper. Art paper is the term used in Asia; coated paper is the term used in North America.
What is the standard weight for a folding carton?
250–350 gsm C1S art paper. Weights below 250 gsm are too flexible; above 350 gsm the score lines crack.
Can you print metallic colors on art paper?
Yes — we run metallic inks (silver, gold) as a fifth or sixth color in offset, or we add hot-foil stamping for the most vibrant metallics.
Is art paper food-safe?
Yes — we supply FDA-compliant options for direct food contact. For wet or fatty foods, an inner liner is required.
What is the difference between art paper and ivory board?
Ivory board is a coated paperboard with a brighter white and higher stiffness; it is used for higher-end cartons. Art paper is the standard alternative.
Can art paper be soft-touch laminated?
Yes — soft-touch lamination is one of the most popular finishes for art paper cartons, especially in cosmetics and skincare.
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