Question:
What is the difference between Freesheet, Groundwood, and Blended Papers?

Answer:
Freesheet papers, coated or uncoated, are made from the chemical process that breaks apart the fibers and dissolves impurities. They are "free" of groundwood or mechanical pulp. By definition, freesheet papers can contain no more than 10% mechanical pulp, and most contain none. They are bleached in a four to six stage process that results in a bright, white, high quality paper used primarily in high-end corporate communications such as annual reports, brochures, advertising inserts and catalogs.

Groundwood papers, coated or uncoated, are made from a mechanical process that incorporates one stage of bleaching. The result is less brightness and a bit more yellow color to the paper. They contain 30 — 75% groundwood pulp and are primarily used in magazines, newspaper inserts, and catalogs -- applications that have a short shelf life.

Blended are papers that utilize a combination (or blend) of freesheet and groundwood pulp. They offer some of the higher quality attributes of freesheet papers and the cost savings of groundwood. They are coated or uncoated and are usually used for magazines and catalogs.
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