Different Types of Paper, Card & Lightweight Materials

Design & Technology students often use a range of paper, cardboards, and other lightweight materials used in graphic products and architectural models. This article summarises the properties, stock forms, and common uses of these materials. It concludes with sample examination questions from the Cambridge IGCSE and AS/A Level syllabus.

Students looking at types of paper and cardboard

Common properties of paper, card, and other lightweight materials

Readily available
Cheap compared to most other materials
Accept many different adhesives and finishes (easy to draw, paint, or print on)
Easy to cut, score, and fold, requiring less complex machinery and using less energy than plastic moulding or metal fabrication, often with faster assembly (reducing production costs and energy consumption)
Can have multiple layers with a cheaper grade in the interior
Good for the environment in general, with some exceptions
Common paper sizes: A5, A4, A3, A2, A1 etc (A4 is 297 x 210mm)
Envelope common sizes: C5, C4, C3 etc (C5 is a bit bigger than A5 and fits A5 paper; C4 fits A4 paper and so on).

C5, C4 envelope sizes= — Common envelope sizes (image © Veesham Printing Press)

PAPER, CARD & OTHER LIGHTWEIGHT MATERIALS

Copier paper

Properties

Uses

Lightweight paper used in photocopiers

Inexpensive printed items

Cartridge paper

Properties

Uses

Thicker paper suitable for drawing or paper (comes in various thicknesses / weights)

Can be ‘wetstrength’ (won’t warp when used with wet mediums)

Artwork

Birthday cards

Cardboard

Properties

Uses

Various types, thicknesses and colours

Can be laminated with aluminium or polyethylene layers or other finishes to provide waterproofing

Wide range of lightweight graphic products

Corrugated card

Properties

Uses

Three layers glued together (fluted inner layer sandwiched between two outer layers)

Fluting / corrugation adds strength and rigidity, while remaining lightweight (good strength-to-weight ratio)

Protective packaging

Most common box material

Bleached card

Properties

Uses

Makes a white surface better for drawing / printing on

Sometimes only the top layer bleached

Cereal boxes, food packages

Mount board

Properties

Uses

Good quality thick card

Coloured on one side

Mounting work

Framing work

Premium business cards

Duplex card

Properties

Uses

Two layers of card bonded together (glued or pressed together while wet)

Different colours or textures can be joined

Can emboss one side without indenting the other

Thick, strong, sturdy

More expensive than other card

Premium business cards

Recycled cardboard

Properties

Uses

Made from recycled paper / card

Good for environment (reduces deforestation / uses less raw materials / less waste going to landfill or burned / biodegrades easily)

Marketing opportunity –appeals to environmentally conscious consumers / promotes ‘green’ image

Not suitable for contact with food or other sensitive products like cosmetics, due to contamination issues

Can be weaker, as fibres degrade when recycled (can be mixed with virgin pulp fibres)

Can be discoloured and have other debris so less uniform and ‘imperfect’ in appearance

Corrugated boxes

Cereal boxes (with an inner plastic bag, i.e. a low density polyethylene bag, preventing direct contact with food – and often a bleached outer layer providing better printing properties)

Moulded paper pulp

Properties

Uses

Pulp made from recycled paper & card mixed with water, pressed into moulds and dried

Often thick / rough / textural (however can be pressed smooth)

Packaging

Drink holders

Food trays

Has same pros / cons as recycled card above

Foamboard

Properties

Uses

Has a foam core sandwiched between two layers of card

Lightweight

Good to draw on

Good rigidity

More expensive than cardboard

Not very flexible / bendy

Not good for environment (contains plastic, hard to recycle as a composite material – hard to separate materials for recycling)

Presentations / mounted charts and displays

Models

Retail signage

Point-of-sale displays

Foamboard is a composite material.

Corriflute sheet

Properties

Uses

Like plastic corrugated cardboard

Comes in a range of colours

Lightweight, rigid, great strength-to-weight ratio

Waterproof

Quite expensive

Harder to draw on (could apply stickers to though)

Presentations

Point-of-sale displays

Temporary outdoor signs

Self-adhesive vinyl

Properties

Uses

Thin PVC film with an adhesive layer and peel-off backing paper

Can be printed on with an inkjet printer

Can be cut with a vinyl cutter or plotter cutter (print-and-cut machine)

Range of colours and finishes (glossy, matte, textured)

Waterproof

Comes in big rolls or sheets

Difficult to recycle

Stickers / labels on cups / bottles

Vehicle graphics (bumper stickers etc)

Temporary and permanent signage

NOTE: Static cling vinyl or cling film does not have an adhesive layer, but will naturally stick to glass – used for window stickers etc.

Sticker paper

Properties

Uses

Has an self-adhesive layer and peel-off layer

Comes in standard sheet sizes (i.e. A4) that can go through a printer or plotter cutter

Can have just the top layer cut (called a ‘kiss’ cut) so still attached to the backing paper, so all little pieces are not lost

Not waterproof

Stickers

Labels

You can also buy self-adhesive vinyl sticker paper in A4 sheets etc

Foil-backed card

Properties

Uses

Aluminium layer laminated to one or both sides of the card (composite product)

Waterproof barrier

Also blocks light and oxygen

Difficult to recycle

Food containers (seals in freshness and stops moisture absorbing into card)

PE laminated card

Properties

Uses

Laminated with a layer of polyethylene (composite product)

Waterproof barrier

Glossy protective surface

Difficult to recycle

Food and drink containers (juice cartons, paper cups, fast food packaging)

Tetra Pak®

Properties

Uses

World’s largest manufacturer of shelf-stable drink and liquid food cartons

Composite product with multiple layers including polyethylene (PE) and aluminium foil

Difficult to recycle

Milk and juice cartons

Tetra Pak is a composite material.

Environmental impact of paper and card

In general, paper and card-based products are very environmentally friendly:

Created from sustainable resources (trees)
Biodegrade easily (rot away)
Can be easily recycled

Challenges of recycling certain graphic products

Various finishes or glues can make a product harder to recycle
Darker, metallic, or fluorescent inks can be hard to remove during the de-inking process
Composite materials (such as foamboard, foil-backed card, or PE laminated card) are much harder and often impossible to recycle, as the different materials require different recycling processes, yet cannot be easily separated
Some products (such as pizza boxes) absorb moisture, grease or are contaminated with waste or other chemicals, making them unsuitable for recycling
Other additives (such as those used in paper cups to make them resistant to breaking down in moisture) make products hard to recycle
Other components, such as staples / bindings can get in the way
Paper fibres degrade with each recycling, so can only be recycled a limited number of times

When recycled, paper is pulped (mixed with water), de-inked, filtered for contaminants, and cleaned of unwanted chemicals. Anything that doesn’t break down in water or can’t be filtered out causes problems.

You may also wish to learn about different printing and surface treatments for paper-based products!

Sample examination questions (AS Design & Technology)

Examiner comment: This question was well attempted, with adding rigidity and splash proofing the paper being popular answers.

Note: Repatriation in this context refers to collecting used cardboard and returning it to a facility where it can be recycled.

Examiner comment: Candidates who discussed such issues as recycled card being environmentally friendly, a possible marketing strategy and an aesthetic opportunity did score well. Examples were not always given.

Examiner comment: Most candidates were able to give the correct size for the envelope.

Examiner comment: Most candidates were able to give two reasons for the suitability of cardboard.

Examiner comment: Most candidates were able to correctly sketch and label corrugated cardboard.

Examiner comment: Most candidates were able to correctly explain at least one reason why recycled card had been chosen, with that it is environmentally friendly being a popular response.

Examiner comment: Most candidates were able to correctly explain at least one reason why corrugated card is a suitable material for the coffee table. Corrugated card being readily available and easy to cut, and shape were popular responses.

Examiner comment: Generally, this question was answered well and most candidates could give two reasons why recycled card had been used.

Examiner comment: Most candidates were able to correctly give at least one reason why corrugated card had been used for the package, with providing a smooth, rigid surface, having protective qualities and being easily cut all popular answers.

Amiria Gale

Amiria has a Bachelor of Architectural Studies, Bachelor of Architecture (First Class Honours) and a Graduate Diploma of Teaching. She is a CIE Accredited Art & Design and Design & Technology Coursework Assessor. Amiria now teaches Art, Design & Technology at ACG Parnell College.