21 March 2026 · 5 min read
Why your brand colour looks wrong on paper
A colour approved on a screen has never met an uncoated 250gsm. Here is what happens in between.
Almost every colour problem we see starts the same way: a brand colour was signed off on a backlit screen, and then printed with ink onto paper that absorbs light instead of emitting it.
Uncoated stocks absorb ink into the fibre. The same Pantone will land roughly five to ten per cent softer than it appears on a coated sheet, and dark colours lose depth first.
Recycled and kraft stocks add a second variable: the base sheet is not white. Every colour printed on it is effectively mixed with the tone underneath.
The fix is not clever software. It is a physical proof on the actual stock, viewed under the lighting where the bag will be seen, warm hotel lobby light and cool boutique spotlights will pull the same bag in opposite directions.
Where a colour has to be exact across years of reprints, specify a Pantone spot ink rather than a CMYK build. A four-colour build drifts between presses and print runs; a mixed spot ink does not.
More insights
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Can AP&D advise on this for my packaging?
Yes. If "Why your brand colour looks wrong on paper" raises a question about your own bags or boxes, contact us and we will recommend a specification.
Will I see a physical sample before production?
As part of the process, we can make a pre-production sample upon request, in the real stock and finish.
What is the minimum order?
Different printed products have different MOQs, but higher quantities reduce the cost: Luxury Carrier Bags 500, Twisted Handle Bags 3,000, Gift Card Holders 500, Gift Boxes 250, Garment Covers 100, Key Card Holders 1,000, Printed Ribbon 500m, Printed Tissue 10 reams and Printed Labels 1,000.
Tell us what goes in the bag.
Send the brief, or the vaguest version of it, and we will come back with a specification, a cost and an honest lead time.