An embossed felt finish is created off the machine, after the paper has dried. During printing, the softer texture of the felt side of an uncoated paper may pick up slightly more ink than the wire side of the same sheet, and the printer may have to adjust ink densities to compensate for this. Some specialty papers may contain synthetic fibers, such as rayon or nylon. The term may be a bit misleading because all paper is made from fiber. The most common fiber additives are wood chips, colored cotton fibers, and colored rayon fibers.
Fillers improve a sheet's smoothness, brightness, and affinity for ink.
On-machine finishing can be done two ways. Laid or felt finishes are made with a marking roll, which actually presses the pattern into the paper while it's still wet. Off-machine finishes are called embossed finishes. Several generic terms describe the various finishes of uncoated paper, such as vellum, smooth, and laid. Individual paper manufacturers may not use these terms consistently, instead using unique names for common finishes.