The high bulk but low weight of this paper makes it a popular choice for business reply cards. The one essential ingredient is cellulose fiber. The rest of the ingredients enhance the paper by adding body, reducing cost, or changing color. Careful ink formulation by the printer can reduce or prevent smudging, unevenness, picking, and additional printing problems associated with ink. The ink used for a particular job depends on the paper specified and the printing process used.
Coated papers tend to have good ink holdout.
The ink pigments sit on the surface of the coating, and are not absorbed into the spaces between the paper fibers. This minimizes dot spread and results in a sharp image. Uncoated papers tend to absorb ink into the sheet, but printers can compensate for this and still produce a very bright, sharp image on uncoated paper. Printing ink sits in these wells, and the paper is pressed onto the plate and into the wells, picking up the ink.