Do you know why we at Holmen lead the way towards a smaller carbon footprint and an environmentally sustainable position for schoolbooks printed on paper?
The main reason is that we know the strength of the printed book, and we aim to be there for the market – and the students – and the teachers – with the solutions you can depend on for the long term.
The next generation of schoolbooks have reduced weight, better opacity, correct brightness and good visual comfort. Great paper makes a difference and empowers learning.
Holmen's papers for schoolbooks can replace the so-called woodfree papers because they provide great conditions for learning. In our termomechanical pulp production, the flexibility of the fresh wood fibre is preserved, so that the finished paper becomes light-weight with good opacity, uncoated with a smooth surface, and naturally bright with a minimum of bleaching.
The wood we use to make paper is a by-product from sustainable forest management. Everything we do is traceable, sustainable and recyclable.
Visual comfort has a direct impact on reading speed, comprehension, attention and memory. Research shows that paper and printing affect learning and study results. When choosing a fresh-fibre paper you don't just save weight and reduce cost for paper and transportation. You'll make books that empower reading, teaching and learning.
A good text book paper has high opacity. When the opacity is high, almost nothing from the print on one page is visible through to the other side. If you choose a thin paper, for example to make the book easier to carry, you increase the risk that content will shine through. A minimum of 95% opacity is recommended.
If the paper is too bright and reflective it can tire the eyes of the reader and make it difficult to study for a longer time. When the book you print is a mix of text, illustrations and images with clear and bright colours, an uncoated matt paper with a naturally smooth surface would be the best choice. Papers with a brightness lower than ISO 80% are recommended for good visual comfort.
A low grammage paper used to mean thinner pages and lower opacity, but your book can be lighter with the same thickness and the same opacity if you use a paper with bulky properties, such as a fresh-fibre paper. Schoolbooks are often carried, so the weight matters for both students and teachers. In distribution, lower weight means not only lower cost but also less environmental impact from transports.