Everything to Know About Postcard Stocks

Soft Touch postcards are printed on extra thick 20pt stock with a smooth, velvety matte finish that feels premium without the high price. What makes Soft Touch special is its signature non-shiny texture soft and refined in a way that other matte coatings aren’t. Most matte coatings still have a slight sheen; Soft Touch doesn’t.

The coating is tight enough that you can write on it with a ballpoint pen, which makes it practical for handwritten notes alongside print. It is also the default finish for our Soft Touch postcards. Full color, full coverage printing looks excellent on this stock.

This is the traditional postcard style most people recognize. It’s what you typically see in the mail — printed on 18pt C1S stock (coated one side), with an uncoated back for writing. It’s a tried-and-true choice for mailouts, handwritten notes, and anything that needs that familiar postcard finish.

What makes Classic unique is the front finish choice. You can choose either a gloss front for vivid, high-impact color, or a Soft Touch front for that signature velvety matte feel — both with the same writable uncoated back. It’s the only postcard stock where you get that choice.

These 100% recycled 18pt Kraft postcards have a warm, earthy tone and a sturdy uncoated surface. The brown base changes how colors print ink sits differently on Kraft than it does on white stock, lending designs a naturally aged, artisan quality that’s hard to replicate elsewhere.

Full coverage printing dark backgrounds, edge-to-edge photography, heavy ink floods works against what makes Kraft special. Designs that let the natural paper tone breathe tend to look far better here. White ink printing is available and pairs exceptionally well with Brown Kraft postcards, creating sharp, high-contrast results that lean into the earthy aesthetic.

Available in 18pt and 24pt options, Recycled Matte postcards are made from 100% recycled. The surface is completely uncoated with a clean, smooth texture. There’s no shine or laminate just a soft natural finish that feels good in hand and is easy to write on.

Despite the natural look, the stock is white enough that full color printing holds well. The 24pt option is noticeably more substantial heavier than most standard postcard stocks.

Made from Neenah’s 100% cotton stock, these postcards are printed on 20pt material that feels like fine fabric. While thick on paper, the cotton fibers make them naturally flexible and elegant in a way that coated card stock simply isn’t.

The bright white cotton base supports full color printing cleanly, and the uncoated surface takes both ink and handwriting well. This is a stock that rewards detail, fine typography, and anything where the paper is part of the design intent. Order a sample pack to feel the difference before you order.

Printed on 18pt stock, Mohawk Superfine features an UltraWhite shade with a brightness rating of 98 the kind of white that makes colors pop and fine lines stay sharp. The surface is smooth but uncoated, with a soft vellum-like feel that gives it a quiet, refined quality distinct from standard uncoated papers.

The ultra-bright white base handles full color and full coverage printing extremely well. Acid free and archival quality, making it suitable for digital, offset, and specialty printing including foiling. Explore Mohawk Superfine postcards.

Part of the Neenah Environment collection, Desert Storm is an 18pt uncoated stock made with 30% recycled. It has a soft sandy tone warmer than white, cooler than Kraft with a subtle texture and a writable surface that keeps it versatile.

The sandy base tone affects how ink prints, particularly with heavy coverage. See all Desert Storm postcards. Designs that work with the warm tone rather than against it open layouts, simple typography, restrained use of color get the most out of this stock.

Sandy Matte postcards are printed on thick 20pt stock and finished with a distinctive sand-like coating on both sides. The surface has a lightly textured, tactile feel that stands apart from standard matte or Soft Touch finishes. It is something you notice immediately the moment you pick one up.

Beyond the texture, the coating also offers strong anti-scuff protection. The surface helps resist marks and fingerprints, keeping postcards clean even after handling.

Unlike uncoated papers, the Sandy Matte coating allows full color printing to stay crisp and vibrant while still delivering a unique physical texture. Colors appear clean and accurate, making it a great match for bold graphics, photography, and modern designs. See Sandy Matte postcards. Because of the textured coating, it is not recommended for writing.

Spot Gloss postcards are printed on 20pt stock using offset printing, with selective UV gloss applied on top of a Soft Touch matte base. The result is a dramatic contrast between the velvety matte surface and raised, high-shine gloss accents applied precisely to specific areas of your design.

Full color, full coverage printing is the foundation of Spot Gloss the offset print delivers sharp, rich color across the entire card, and the spot UV sits on top as a separate selective layer. A premium specialty finish. See Spot Gloss postcards for full specs.

Pearl postcards are printed on ultra thick 26pt Neenah Pearl stock with a smooth metallic finish that catches light in a subtle, refined way. It is not glossy and it is not flat matte either. The shimmer is built into the paper itself, giving it a soft glow instead of a harsh shine.

What makes Pearl stand out is how the surface reacts to light. As you move it, the finish shifts slightly, adding depth without overpowering your design. Combined with the rigid 26pt thickness, it feels solid, clean, and noticeably premium the moment you pick it up.

The surface is smooth and consistent, so full color printing comes out sharp and balanced. The shimmer still shows through the ink, which makes it a great choice when you want something visually different without relying on foil or extra finishes.

Colorplan gives you a choice of over 50 unique shades of this fun, creative stock. It is a natural, uncoated paper, tactile and slightly textured, designed for brands that want something that stands apart from anything printed on standard white stock.

The color runs through the entire sheet, so the edge of the card is as considered as the face. Full coverage printing works against what makes Colorplan special. The whole point of this stock is the paper itself. Let it show. White ink printing on Colorplan is stunning. Against a deep navy, forest green, or burnt orange shade, white ink creates a level of contrast and sophistication that is simply not achievable on any other stock we carry.