Cotton Fiber Paper - Why?
A very recent posting by someone hoping to find flat diecut pocket folder asked for cotton based paper. Why would there be a requirement for such an item? There are so many other great paper choices out there.
There seems to be a mindset developing that would indicate that people think a paper must be cotton fiber based in order to be acceptable for letterpress printing. Where did this come from, and is there any true rationale for it?
I understand the compressibility of papers like Lettra in high caliper sheets gives a nice “deboss” effect, but there are plenty of other wood fiber based sheets which will give a similar effect and be more durable as well for something like a mailing card or pocket folder.
I just thought a discussion of the “whys” might be an appropriate topic on Briar Press.
If you use a quality material you can pass off lettercrashed work as quality too ??
There are many beautiful materials on the market or were some years ago ,usually any material sold that is marked as suited to the process of embossing or gold foiling are all suited to letterpress , someone is bound to add the question re absorbancy so i will add that this is why foil inks exist and the use of them sorts the able from the not !
Two that come to mind are
1 Zanders ElephantHaute ,originally aimed at the perfume carton market .
2 Guardbridge , G.B.Flannel ,also a packaging material , this one i liked as it had feel to it while still having a smooth surface !
I dont know about supply of this or even if it exists any more but both were good quality material for hard wearing tasks .
A cotton based paper would not contain the chemicals that a hardwood paper has. Perhaps they were looking for something that would protect the inner contents of the folder?
They will need to take out a second mortgage for a letterpress/die-cut pocket folder, Hell I would have to also to afford the paper, die, press to print it on and the drugs for my killer headache!!!