printMe1.com's Paper Specifications

Introduction

Updated 10 October 2026: paper certifications and sustainability details verified with Double A and Mohawk.

printMe1.com is committed to using sustainably sourced papers that look great in print, run well on high speed on demand printing equipment, and perform well double-sided, the way we usually print.

Paper production is a complicated process that involves forests and forest management, paper mills, and paper distributors. Think for a second how hard organic matter like wood is transformed into something thin, flexible, and bright that can consistently run through printing equipment at high speeds and the steps involved in the production process to create such an amazing product. Paper comes from a renewable resource, trees, which are grown as a crop, harvested, and replanted. Well managed forestry can be one of the most sustainable industries on the planet. Check out our sustainability page for more information.

Our paper sources and brands change based on availability. Paper mills change the types of paper they make based on economic conditions and the timber resources they have access to. We do our best to research our options and make intentional choices based on more than the lowest price.

Paper specifications include brightness, weight, and finish texture. Sustainability certification organizations include the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which promotes environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests. We weigh all of these criteria to find the best fit for how we print.

We occasionally test new papers not listed below to see how they run on high speed printing equipment. We'll add that information here when it's available and update this page as needed.

We typically use different papers for black and white printing and color printing. Here are the two primary papers we currently use at printMe1.com:

Double A (Black and White Printing)

printMe1.com Notes:

We were glad to find this paper when we did. Double A is a paper from Thailand with a unique sustainability model.

The trees grown for Double A pulp are fast growing and planted specifically for paper production. That sets it apart in another way too. In North America, much of our pulp comes from trees and wood that aren't suited to lumber and building products, while Double A's pulp comes from trees grown for paper.

Double A works with Thai farmers to plant these trees on the strips of land between rice paddies, called Khan-na (more in this video), which generates extra income for the farmers. Double A pays the farmers for the trees when they're ready to harvest, and waste not used for paper goes to biomass electricity generation.

We've found that the paper runs great on our high speed equipment and looks amazing. It's bright, and while 20# papers vary in density, this one feels solid when you hold a bound book or turn a page. It's a smooth, fine paper that's well suited to printMe1.com's needs.

Specifications:

• Weight: 20#
• Brightness: 96
• Texture: Smooth
• FSC® Certified: Yes, Chain of Custody (license FSC-C148102)
• PEFC™ Certified: Yes, Chain of Custody (CU-PEFC-COC-895816)
• Environmental management: ISO 14001 certified

Manufacturer's Notes:

Double A says it sources "certified wood or wood from a special fast-growing type of tree," the Paper-Tree, "avoiding logging of natural forests." Farmers in rural Thai communities plant and replant these trees on the Khan-na land between rice paddies, which gives them added income.

Double A also commits to sourcing standards. It says it will not be involved in illegal logging, human rights violations in forestry, the destruction of high conservation value forests, the conversion of forests to plantations, or genetically modified trees.

Nothing from the tree goes to waste. Bark, knotted wood, chips, lignin, and sludge from pulping are sent to power plants for biomass electricity, which Double A sums up as "no waste is wasted." For water, Double A collects rainwater in a 35 million cubic meter reservoir, works to minimize water use in production, and uses recycled water to irrigate the trees around its mills.

On quality, Double A says the secret to its smooth paper is its high fiber content per gram, which gives sharper images and good double-sided printing. - Sources: Environmental Sustainability and Our Commitment

Hammermill Premium Laser Print (Color Printing)

printMe1.com's Notes:

Hammermill Premium Laser Print is our paper for color printing. It's made for color laser equipment like ours, and its ultra smooth, bright white surface gives color pages sharp detail and clean, even color. At 24# with 92 opacity, it has a solid feel when you hold a bound book or turn a page, and it keeps show-through low on double-sided color pages. Hammermill is one of America's best known paper brands, and its paper is made in the USA.

Specifications:

• Weight: 24# (90 gsm)
• Brightness: 98
• Opacity: 92
• Texture: Ultra smooth
• Caliper: 4.1 mils
• FSC® Certified: Yes (Sylvamo license FSC-C168336)
• Acid free: Yes
• Recycled content: 0%
• Made in: USA

Manufacturer's Notes:

According to Hammermill, Premium Laser Print is "designed to produce sharp, clear images on all laser-based printing equipment," and it's backed by Hammermill's 99.99% Jam-Free Guarantee.

Hammermill paper is made in the United States by its parent company, Sylvamo, "with renewable resources from third-party certified, sustainably managed forests." Hammermill says water in its papermaking process is used up to 10 times before more than 90% of it is returned to the environment. Bark removed from logs is used as biofuel, and its mills continue replacing fossil fuels with renewable biomass. - Sources: Premium Laser Print sell sheet, Hammermill sustainability, and How Is Paper Made?

More on printMe1.com printing

For printing, binding, and shipping prices, plus our print equipment and margin guidelines, see our printMe1.com Spec and Pricing Sheet.