Gloss: more than meets the eye
In everyday language, we use the word “glossy” to refer to something that’s superficially shiny or pretty. According to the dictionary definition, gloss is “a surface luster or brightness”, but there’s far more to gloss than meets the eye. Here are some things you might not have known about gloss, how it’s measured and what it can offer
What is gloss?
Glossy finishes are ideally suited to products that are looking to draw attention to themselves, such as high-end cosmetics, gift wrap and premium packaging. But while that might sound frivolous, gloss means something very specific in scientific terms. What’s more, gloss measurement is a precise science.
As an optical property, gloss indicates how well a surface reflects light. Its “glossiness” is affected by the material’s refractive index, the light angle and the surface texture or topography. In visual terms, a high gloss level means light bounces off the surface, giving an all-round impression of vibrancy and heightening image contrast and depth of color.
Gloss behind the scenes
Here at AR Metallizing, being able to accurately quantify gloss level is an essential aspect of our quality control procedures. After all, we have to be able to ensure that gloss level is consistent from one roll of paper to the next, while communicating with customers about precisely what they can expect from our products.
To do that, we use something called a glossmeter, which projects a beam of light onto a surface and measures the amount of reflected light. This enables us to quantify glossiness in GUs (gloss units) and categorize papers in three categories: high gloss (over 70 GU), semi-gloss (10 - 70 GU) and low-gloss or matte (below 10 GU).
Can gloss be sustainable?
In a word, yes - which may come as a surprise. Companies that have traditionally been at the forefront of sustainability movements, such as organic food or cosmetics brands, have until recently tended to steer clear of glossy looks. Often for good reason: many products with a smooth, silvery finish owe it to materials such as metallized PET film, which are unrecyclable and energy-intensive to produce. Not a good look for brands that pride themselves on being environmentally friendly.
Metallized papers offer gloss without the guilt. By vaporizing a microscopically-thin layer of aluminium onto their surface, we create beautiful glossy looks that retain the look and feel of paper and are just as eco-friendly.
Want to find out if metallized paper is right for your company? Get in touch now.