Printed tissue paper: sheet sizes, weight, ink and pattern design
Custom tissue at Tria is 17 gsm acid-free tissue, white or natural kraft, printed one or two colors in water-based flexo ink, from 200 sheets in 10 to 12 business days after proof. Size the sheet at about twice the box length plus twice its height so it folds fully over the product; the 20 by 30 inch sheet suits most mailers. Keep the pattern light, at or under about 30 percent ink coverage, so it never rubs onto the product.
Sheet size
Tissue should fold fully over the product from both sides. The rule: sheet length is about twice the box length plus twice the box height, and the same logic across. Round up to the next standard sheet; our printed tissue paper comes in 15 by 20, 20 by 30 and 24 by 36 inch sheets.
| Box (L by W by H, inches) | Tissue needed | Sheet to order |
|---|---|---|
| 6 by 4 by 2 | About 16 by 12 | 15 by 20 |
| 10 by 8 by 4 | About 28 by 24 | 24 by 36 |
| 12 by 9 by 2 (apparel) | About 28 by 22 | 24 by 36 |
| 8 by 6 by 3 | About 22 by 18 | 20 by 30 |
We deliver flat in reams of 250. If you want sheets pre-folded to a specific box size, ask with your quote and we confirm whether it is available for your run.
Weight and color
17 gsm is the standard: it folds soft and does not crackle. 22 gsm is available for wrapping heavier goods like ceramics, where a little more body helps, and it takes ink slightly better. Below 17 gsm the tissue tears on press, so we do not go lighter.
White tissue shows color as you designed it. Natural kraft reads warmer and darkens every ink, so pale colors disappear; choose a dark ink or a white tissue. If you want a solid colored sheet with no print, a dyed stock tissue is the better route than printing a flood of ink.
We print tissue one or two colors flexo with water-based ink. Flexo on tissue is a spot color process: it gives clean logos and patterns, not photographs or soft gradients. Water-based ink dries into the fiber and does not transfer onto fabric, glass or card at normal coverage, which is why we cap repeat patterns at about 30 percent coverage.
Designing the pattern
- A small logo repeated on a diagonal grid every 3 to 4 inches reads as a pattern from across the room and as a logo up close.
- A second color lets you add a second element, such as an icon between the logos.
- Keep logos at least a quarter inch from the sheet edge so registration shift on press cannot cut one off.
- Avoid fine type and hairlines; tissue spreads ink slightly.
- A single placed logo per sheet is possible but wastes more paper when cut, so a repeat is usually the better buy.
Where it goes in the box
Tissue is a presentation layer, not protection. In an apparel mailer box it folds over the garment and is the first thing seen when the lid lifts. Close it with a sticker from our sticker and label sheets. If the inside of the box is printed too, as with an inside printed mailer, keep the tissue simple so the two patterns do not fight.
Acid-free and recycling
Acid-free means the tissue will not yellow or stain what it wraps over time, which matters for keepsakes and apparel. It is not a recycling claim. Many curbside programs do not accept tissue because its fibers are too short to recycle well, so check the rules where your customers live before printing any recycling line on it.
This is packaging guidance, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
What size tissue sheet do I need?
About twice the box length plus twice the box height, and the same across, so it folds fully over the product. For a 10 by 8 by 4 inch box that is about 28 by 24 inches, so the 24 by 36 sheet works. For a 6 by 4 by 2 box, the 15 by 20 sheet is right.
Will the ink rub off on my product?
No. Water-based flexo ink dries into the fiber and does not transfer onto fabric, glass or card at normal coverage. We keep repeat patterns under about 30 percent ink coverage for this reason. For a solid color, use a dyed stock tissue rather than a printed flood.
Can tissue be printed in full color or with photos?
No. We print tissue one or two colors flexo, which gives clean logos and patterns but not photographs or soft gradients. If the inside of the box needs full color, print it on the box liner, as on an inside printed mailer.
What is the minimum for printed tissue?
200 sheets, delivered flat in reams of 250, in 10 to 12 business days after proof. Ask with your quote if you want sheets pre-folded to your box.
Custom tissue or custom wrapping paper: which should I read about?
Tissue wraps around the product inside the box; wrapping paper covers the outside of a standalone gift. If you want the outside wrap, see our custom wrapping paper instead. If you are deciding what else goes in the box, the packaging inserts overview covers it.