Silk vs Gloss Paper: What Is the Difference, and Which to Choose

Gloss and silk are both coated papers. Gloss has a shiny surface that makes colours and photographs look as bright as possible, but it reflects light. Silk has a smooth, low sheen: photos stay sharp, glare is lower, and text is easier to read and to write on. Choose gloss for image-led promotional print, and silk for print people will read closely or keep, such as booklets, price lists and posters under bright lights.

Silk, gloss and uncoated at a glance

Our glossary has short entries on gloss paper, silk paper and uncoated paper.

What gloss paper is

Gloss paper has a smooth, shiny coating that holds the ink on the surface instead of letting it soak into the fibres. The ink stays sharp and saturated, so photographs, bold colours and strong graphics look their brightest. The trade-off is reflection: under shop lights, sunlight or a camera flash, a gloss sheet can shine, and small text becomes harder to read at some angles.

What silk paper is

Silk paper is also coated, so it holds ink on the surface and keeps photographs crisp, but the coating is finished to a low sheen rather than a shine. It reflects less light, which makes long text easier on the eye and posters easier to read under spotlights or behind glass. It feels smooth and slightly soft in the hand, and is easier to write on than gloss.

Is silk the same weight as gloss?

The finish does not change the weight. Paper weight is measured in gsm, grams per square metre, so 170gsm silk and 170gsm gloss weigh the same per sheet.

Which of our products use silk, and which use gloss

So on leaflets, posters and business cards you choose between silk and gloss. Booklets come on silk only at the moment, folded leaflets on gloss only, and letterheads on uncoated paper so they can be written on and run through an office printer.

Silk or gloss for leaflets?

On our leaflets the choice is between 170gsm gloss and 170gsm silk at the same weight, or 135gsm gloss for large runs. For 1,000 A5 leaflets printed on both sides:

These prices are read from our live price list, and leaflets are zero-rated for VAT where they qualify. Our leaflet cost guide shows every size and quantity.

Choose gloss when the leaflet is mostly photographs and colour: a takeaway offer, a holiday let, an event with a strong image, or a door drop that needs to stand out on the mat.

Choose silk when people will read it closely or keep it: a price list, a menu, a programme, a newsletter, a leaflet people may write on, such as a form or a booking slip, or anything that sits under bright lights.

Why our standard posters and booklets are on silk

A poster hangs under shop lights, spotlights or a window, so glare matters more than on a leaflet held in the hand. Silk keeps photographs sharp and the poster readable from an angle, which is why 170gsm silk is our standard poster paper; choose gloss if bright colour matters more than glare. A booklet is read page by page, often for some time, and silk is easier on the eye for long text. Our booklets are printed on 170gsm silk throughout, with a self cover, so the cover and inside pages match.

Colour on silk and gloss

Both papers print in CMYK. Bright RGB screen colours can shift when converted for print on either finish; gloss shows the result slightly more vividly. Set up your file in CMYK and check the on-screen proof. Our CMYK vs RGB guide explains why colours change.

Questions

What is the difference between silk and gloss paper? Both are coated papers. Gloss has a shiny finish that makes colours look their brightest but reflects light. Silk has a smooth, low-sheen finish that keeps photos crisp with less glare, which makes text easier to read and the paper easier to write on.

Is silk or gloss better for leaflets? Gloss suits image-led leaflets and door drops where bright colour matters. Silk suits leaflets people read closely or keep, such as price lists, menus and programmes. We print leaflets on 135gsm gloss, 170gsm gloss or 170gsm silk.

Can you write on silk paper? Silk is easier to write on than gloss, because its surface is less shiny. For something mainly written on, such as a letterhead, uncoated paper is best, and our letterheads and compliment slips are printed on 120gsm uncoated.

Is silk paper matt? Not quite. Silk has a soft, low sheen, between shiny gloss and a flat uncoated finish. For a flat matt look on business cards, choose matt lamination on our silk cards.

Does 170gsm silk weigh the same as 170gsm gloss? Yes. gsm means grams per square metre, and the finish does not change it. A 170gsm silk sheet and a 170gsm gloss sheet of the same size weigh the same.

What paper are your posters printed on? 170gsm silk as standard, single-sided; its low sheen keeps posters readable under shop lights and behind glass. You can also choose 135 or 250gsm silk, 135, 170 or 250gsm gloss, 150gsm satin, or an outdoor paper: 115gsm blueback or 170gsm waterproof PVC.

Can I have a gloss booklet? Not at the moment. Our stapled booklets are printed on 170gsm silk throughout, cover included. For a shorter piece on gloss, a folded leaflet on 135gsm or 170gsm gloss gives four or six panels.