Types of Paper for Button Making

Paper is one of the easiest items to buy yet more time and money is spent choosing what type of paper to use in button making because there is so much misinformation out there. We want to help dispel the myths so you do not spend wasted time and money.

Unlike some manufacturers, no special type of paper is required with our button makers. In fact the secret is you do not have to spend a lot of money on paper. For most applications, our buttons machines work best with standard 24lb bond printer paper. The bond indicates the weight of the paper. If you use a lighter weight paper, you run the chance of seeing through the paper to the metal button below. If you use a heavier paper you are probably wasting your money and could jam your machine. (We will talk more about this later.)

Choose a paper that has a brightness rating of at least 100. This will give you a good crisp white. Why is this important? If you are making a button that has ink covering the entire face of the button then you do not have to worry about it. But if your button is not completely covered with color you want a nice bright white to show off your button. If you are printing photos and someone is wearing a white shirt, you do not want the shirt to look yellow.

Button Making Paper Tip:

Our complete button sets have everything you need including the Mylar. The Mylar (aka plastics) is a thin sheet of plastic that serves two functions. First, it covers your graphic and protects it from getting soiled. Second, it makes the button very glossy. The Mylar really makes your graphic “Pop”! Since the Mylar helps make the button shine, why would you want to spend extra money on expensive paper?

Specialty Paper | Photo Paper for Button Making

There are certain applications where you may want to use expensive heavier paper. For example a photographers reputation is directly related to the quality of their photographs. They want to use only the best premium paper for their clients. Standard button machines cannot accept heavier paper. They will jam your machine or fall apart when someone tries to wear it. This is why we offer our Photo Button Machines and Punches. There is no guessing here because you get the best of both worlds. Our Photo Button Making Series equipment is designed specifically to accept standard printer paper or heavier photo paper, with the exception of the rectangular machines.

Printers | Inkjet vs Laser

Simply put, only buy paper that is made for the type of printer you have. To produce an image, an inkjet printer uses different technology than a laser printer, so the paper is manufactured differently for each technology. An inkjet printer wants to absorb ink while a laser printer’s toner sits on the top surface of the paper. Although it seems trivial, the type of paper you use can make a difference. Keep it simple and buy paper that is made for your type of printer

Button Making Paper Type Summary

Start with a 24lb bond paper with at least a 100 brightness. You can experiment with different papers to see what works best for you but you do not have to spend a fortune to get great results!