Which paper for your brochure?

Published 11 June 2026 · Welye advice

Two brochures with identical content can feel radically different: it all comes down to paper. Here is how to choose, element by element.

Text pages: coated or uncoated?

Coated paper (matt or gloss, 90–170 g) is the brochure standard: smooth surface, faithful colours, sharp photos. Uncoated paper feels more natural and is the obvious choice when people write on it — workbooks, working documents.

The cover: where it is won or lost

It is the first thing people touch: aim for a heavy coated or fine paper in 250–350 g. If the brochure gets handled a lot, add a matt, gloss or soft-touch lamination: it protects and defines the feel.

Matt or gloss?

• ✓Matt — elegance, excellent readability, softened photos. The choice for corporate and premium documents.
• ✓Gloss — vivid colours, saturated photos. The choice for product catalogues and visual pieces.
• ✓Soft-touch — the premium 'peach-skin' feel, unforgettable in hand. Best kept for the cover.

Fine & recycled papers

• ✓Fine papers (textured, tinted) give character to covers and fine pieces.
• ✓Recycled carries a responsible message without sacrificing the result. Both are part of our brochure ranges.

Matching paper and binding

• ✓Saddle-stitched — flexible: coated 115–170 g inside, self-cover possible.
• ✓Perfect bound — a strong cover is a must, keep text paper reasonable for handling.
• ✓Section-sewn — the home of book and fine papers.
• ✓Wire-O — sturdy coated stock, laminated dividers available.

Welye's advice

Send us your layout and the intended use (left on a table? mailed? browsed in meetings?): we propose two or three priced paper/finish combinations. And to choose the binding, the 4-binding comparison is here.