While digital technologies have gradually reduced the need for carbon paper, it remains popular across various industries where the replication of documents is required, such as legal forms and invoices. However, carbon paper typically has a coating on one side with a substance that contains toxins, which, when disposed of, can harm the environment.
Concerns over the environmental effects of carbon paper have played a part in its decline, with industry players looking to adopt a more sustainable alternative. Carbonless paper, also known as NCR (No Carbon Required) paper, consequently emerged as the preferred choice due to its eco-friendly attributes and advantageous characteristics.
What is Carbonless Paper?
Carbonless copy paper is a form of speciality paper most commonly used for the multiplication of printed or handwritten documents, eliminating the requirement for carbon sheets. NCR paper typically consists of three sheets of paper applied with separate chemical coatings. The front of the top sheet, also known as the CB (Coated Back) sheet, is coated with a micro-encapsulated dye that can be transferred onto the top of the subsequent page when pressure is applied. However, for the dye to transfer onto the page beneath, the front of the second sheet of paper is coated with a reactive clay, which reacts with the micro-encapsulated dye, allowing the pigment to be transferred onto the page. This layer is known as the CF (Coated Front) sheet.
In between both the CB and CF sheets is the coated front and back (CFB) sheet, which is a sheet that combines both the CB and CF coatings. The purpose of the CFB sheet is to allow for the duplication of documents within the same set, removing the need for additional layers of carbonless paper. The chemical reaction that takes place between both sheets allows for the duplication of documents with ease and accuracy.
Uses of Carbonless Paper
Duplication printing is required across various industries, making carbonless paper a widely used paper solution. However, these are some key industries that primarily use this form of speciality paper.
Legal and Professional Services: Carbonless paper is commonly used across legal and professional sectors to replicate contracts, documents and agreements. Carbonless copy paper is a popular solution due to this sector’s requirement for replicating multiple documents for different parties.
Medical and Healthcare Services: Carbonless copy paper is used across healthcare facilities to duplicate patient documents and reports.
Transport Industry: Public transport providers such as taxi and bus companies often use carbonless paper to print duplicate tickets or receipts for passengers.
Hospitality Sector: Services throughout the hospitality sector, particularly restaurants and cafes, use NCR paper. Staff often write customer orders on NCR paper to ensure the front of house and kitchen team receive a separate copy.
Why Choose Carbonless Paper?
Amongst many reasons, a standout benefit of NCR paper is its eco-friendliness. Unlike carbon paper, this sustainable solution substitutes carbon-coated sheets for a biodegradable micro-encapsulated dye, reducing the negative impact carbon has on the environment. Choosing NCR paper also significantly reduces paper waste. While carbon paper requires a unique sheet for every document that is duplicated, carbonless paper possesses the ability to reproduce documents using the same set of sheets, enhancing efficient and sustainable paper usage.
By using carbonless copy paper, you are guaranteed a swift and accurate process for the duplication of documents, allowing for immediate printing. Unlike traditional carbon paper, which uses wet ink that is easily smudged, NCR paper uses dry, encapsulated ink, which dries as soon as it touches the page, reducing the likelihood of smudging. The combination of speed and precision makes NCR paper an efficient printing solution suitable for various applications and industries.
Carbonless paper is used across a range of industries where the security and confidentiality of legal and personal documentation are paramount. Once a document has been duplicated using NCR paper, the contents of the sheet cannot be changed. If an attempt is made to modify the data on the document, it will be instantly identified, making it difficult for documents to be altered or plagiarised.
PG Paper: Your Carbonless Paper Suppliers
NCR paper is an incredibly versatile product, serving as an effective solution for duplication printing across a variety of industries. At PG Paper, we work alongside a range of global suppliers who manufacture high-quality carbonless paper, ranging from 50-100 GSM in both reels and sheets. If you are seeking an eco-friendly solution for your printing needs, reach out to our team today to discuss how we can find the best solution to meet your requirements.