How to Order Specialty Paper for Your Next Print Project: A Step-by-Step Checklist

Office administrator for a 200-person company here. I manage all paper and print ordering—roughly $45,000 annually across 8 vendors. I report to both operations and finance, which means I hear about it from two directions when something goes wrong.

This checklist is for you if you're ordering specialty paper (think cover stock, textured sheets, colored paper for invitations or packaging) and you don't want to end up with 5,000 sheets of something that photographs terribly or jams every printer in the building. I've made those mistakes so you don't have to.

Seven steps total. Most take 10-15 minutes. Step 4 is the one everyone skips—don't.

Step 1: Define What You Actually Need (Not What You Think Looks Nice)

Before you start browsing swatches, answer these questions in writing:

• What's the end use? Business cards? Packaging inserts? Event invitations? A 9 cup coffee maker manual? (Yes, I've ordered paper for appliance documentation—it happens.)
• What printing method? Offset, digital, letterpress? This eliminates 60% of options immediately.
• What weight do you need? Cover stock (thick) vs. text weight (thinner). If you're not sure, grab something similar from your desk and check the package.
• Quantity? Be specific. "A lot" isn't a number.

In 2022, I ordered 2,000 sheets of a gorgeous French Paper Pop-Tone stock for a product launch. Vibrant coral color, perfect weight. Nobody told me our in-house printer couldn't handle anything over 80lb cover. I ate $340 out of the department budget and had to rush-order something else. Now I verify printer compatibility before placing any order.

Step 2: Request Physical Samples—Yes, Actually Touch Them

I know, I know. You're busy. The website has nice photos. Skip this step anyway?

No.

Screen colors lie. That "warm cream" might arrive looking like "sad beige." The texture that looks subtle online might feel like sandpaper. Most specialty paper suppliers—including brands like French Paper—will send swatch books free or for minimal cost.

Request samples of your top 2-3 choices. When they arrive:

• Look at them in multiple lighting conditions (fluorescent office light vs. natural light)
• Run a sheet through your actual printer if possible
• Show stakeholders before ordering in bulk

Honestly, I'm not sure why some papers photograph so differently than they appear in person. My best guess is it's a combination of monitor calibration and the way texture interacts with camera flash. But whatever the reason—get samples.

Step 3: Get Quotes From At Least Two Vendors

The "local is always better" thinking comes from an era before modern logistics. Today, a well-organized remote vendor can often beat a disorganized local one on both price and turnaround.

When requesting quotes, provide:

• Exact paper name and weight (e.g., "French Paper Speckletone, 80lb cover, Kraft")
• Quantity needed
• Delivery address
• Deadline

Compare total cost including shipping. A $50 savings on paper means nothing if shipping adds $75.

According to USPS (usps.com), large envelope shipping for paper samples starts at $1.50 for the first ounce as of January 2025. But bulk paper shipments typically go freight or UPS/FedEx—factor this into your budget.

Step 4: Verify the Vendor Can Provide Proper Invoicing

This is the step everyone skips. Don't.

In 2021, I found a great price from a new vendor—$180 cheaper than our regular supplier. Ordered 1,500 sheets. They couldn't provide a proper invoice (handwritten receipt only). Finance rejected the expense report. I ate $180 out of the department budget. Now I verify invoicing capability before placing any order.

Before your first order with any new vendor, confirm:

• They can provide itemized invoices with their business name and tax ID
• They accept your company's payment method (PO, credit card, net-30)
• They can email invoices in PDF format (sounds basic—it's not universal)

Step 5: Place a Test Order Before Going Big

If you're ordering more than $500 worth of specialty paper from a vendor you haven't used before, place a smaller test order first. Yes, this adds a week. Yes, it's worth it.

What you're testing:

• Did it arrive when they said it would?
• Was it packaged properly? (Specialty paper damaged in shipping is useless.)
• Does the actual product match the sample?
• How was communication if you had questions?

Our company expanded in 2023. I had to consolidate orders for 400 employees across 3 locations. Using a test-order protocol cut our ordering mistakes from roughly 8 per year to 2, and eliminated the "surprise, this isn't what we ordered" panic we used to have quarterly.

Step 6: Document Everything for Next Time

Create a simple record:

• What you ordered (exact product name, SKU if available)
• Vendor name and contact
• Price paid and date
• How it performed
• Would you reorder? Why or why not?

I keep this in a shared spreadsheet that operations and finance can both access. Takes 5 minutes after each order. Saves hours when someone asks "what did we use for the 2023 holiday cards?" or "why don't we use Vendor X anymore?"

(Should mention: I also photograph the actual delivered product. Color names like "French Blue" or "Coral" mean different things to different manufacturers.)

Step 7: Build in Buffer Time

Specialty paper isn't commodity paper. It's not sitting in a warehouse waiting for your order. Some colors and textures are made in limited runs. Some require minimum order quantities.

Standard buffer times I use:

• Routine orders: 2 weeks before you actually need it
• Custom colors or large quantities: 4-6 weeks
• Holiday season (October-December): Add another week to everything

Had 2 hours to decide before the deadline for rush processing last November. Normally I'd get multiple quotes, but there was no time. Went with our usual vendor based on trust alone. It worked out, but I paid a 40% rush premium. Build in buffer so you're not me.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Ordering based on the website photo alone. I mentioned this already, but it's worth repeating. Get samples.

Forgetting to check grain direction. For folded pieces like cards or brochures, grain direction matters. Paper folds more cleanly with the grain. Ask your printer which direction they need, then verify with your paper supplier. This was true 15 years ago and it's still true today.

Assuming "eco-friendly" means the same thing everywhere. Per FTC Green Guides, environmental claims like "recyclable" must be substantiated. A product claimed as "recyclable" should be recyclable in areas where at least 60% of consumers have access to recycling facilities for that material. "Eco-friendly" is vaguer—ask what specifically makes it eco-friendly. (Source: FTC 16 CFR Part 260)

Not accounting for waste. Print jobs require overruns for setup and testing. Order 10-15% more than your finished quantity needs. Your printer can tell you their specific waste rate.

Reordering without checking the previous order notes. The vendor who couldn't provide proper invoicing cost us $2,400 in rejected expenses over two years before I started keeping records. Check your notes. Or rather—start keeping notes so you have something to check.

Final Thought

Specialty paper ordering isn't complicated. It's just that the details matter more than with commodity supplies. Get samples, verify vendor reliability before committing to large orders, and document what you learn.

I'd rather spend 10 minutes explaining options to my internal stakeholders than deal with mismatched expectations when 3,000 sheets of the wrong shade of blue arrive the week before an event. An informed requester asks better questions and makes faster decisions—which makes my job easier.