What do the paper weights mean?

Paper weight is measured in gsm, which stands for grams per square metre. It tells you how heavy the paper is, not necessarily how thick it feels. As a rough guide, 80–100gsm is standard office paper, the kind used for letters and everyday printing. It feels thin and flexible. 120–170gsm is a light upgrade, commonly used for flyers, leaflets, and inner pages of booklets. It feels sturdier but still folds easily. 200–250gsm is where paper starts to feel more deliberate. This range is often used for premium leaflets, postcards, and booklet covers. It holds its shape but can still be folded with creasing. 300–350gsm is heavy card, typically used for business cards, invitations, and covers. It feels thick and rigid, and most business cards people keep are in this range. 400gsm and above is very heavy card, used for luxury cards and packaging elements. At that point it feels more like board and is often unnecessary for everyday print. One thing that often surprises people is that gsm isn’t the whole story. Two papers with the same gsm can feel very different. Coated papers feel thinner and stiffer, uncoated papers feel softer, recycled papers often feel bulkier, and lamination changes stiffness more than weight does.