Sona Papers Brings Premium Paper Expertise to the 16th PrintWeek Awards

Sona Papers](https://sonapapers.com/paper-type/colors-papers), which has been supporting the PrintWeek Awards since their inception, has once again brought its paper expertise to the 16th edition of the prestigious awards.
According to Raju Suneja, Director – Sales & Marketing, Sona Papers, India’s printing and packaging industry has remained resilient over the past year, although growth has been uneven across different segments.

“Premiumisation is probably the single biggest tailwind our business has right now. Paper has stopped being treated as a line item and started being treated as part of the product experience. As a result, we are seeing significantly more enquiries for textured, coloured, pearlescent, cotton-rich and sustainably produced substrates across categories that traditionally relied on standard board,” says Suneja.
He adds that brands are increasingly willing to pay a meaningful premium—often two to four times the cost of a conventional substrate—because they recognise that the first tactile impression of a product can happen before the packaging is even opened.

Award-Winning Substrates
According to Suneja, luxury packaging and premium publishing are currently among Sona Papers’ fastest-growing categories, followed closely by premium corporate communications, including annual reports, boardroom collateral and gifting for senior leadership and clients.
The hospitality sector is also increasingly embracing premium papers, with five-star properties and boutique hotels investing in tactile menus, welcome kits and in-room stationery to enhance the overall guest experience.
Publishing continues to remain steady, with demand largely concentrated in coffee-table books, art publications and limited-edition print runs.
The 16th edition of the PrintWeek Awards is expected to feature a significant number of entries across these categories, with many of the submitted print samples expected to showcase premium papers supplied by Sona Papers.

Designing for Embellishment
Suneja says that carefully selected premium papers are generally designed to deliver better results with embellishment processes than commodity stocks. However, performance can vary considerably depending on fibre composition, GSM, thickness and surface treatment.
“Cotton-rich and higher-GSM textured papers tend to hold embossing and debossing crisply without cracking, while smooth coated stocks are generally better suited for fine spot UV details and sharp foil registration. Laser cutting requires particular attention to fibre density and surface coatings, as certain finishes can scorch or discolour at the cut edge. We therefore always recommend conducting a test cut before moving into full-scale production,” says Suneja.

He adds that price is no longer the first consideration for many customers. Texture and tactile appeal often come first, with the feel of the paper playing a decisive role even before the first sheet goes through the press.
“Printability and predictable performance across finishing processes such as foiling, embossing and UV are close behind, because a beautiful paper that does not perform well on press or cracks during embossing can quickly become a liability. Sustainability has also moved from being a nice-to-have to a genuine shortlist criterion over the last two to three years, particularly among brands that export or cater to environmentally conscious consumers,” he adds.

Sustainability Takes Centre Stage
Sona Papers expects the premium and specialty paper segment to continue growing significantly faster than the overall paper market. This growth is expected to be driven by continued premiumisation across packaging and gifting, the expansion of India’s D2C and luxury retail economy, and increasing design awareness among younger brand owners and consumers.
“Sustainability will increasingly become table stakes rather than a differentiator. Mills and paper suppliers that can offer certified, responsibly sourced options alongside genuine aesthetic and performance credentials will be best positioned to meet evolving market expectations. We also expect demand to expand geographically beyond the major metros as premium retail and gifting culture continues to spread into tier-2 markets,” Suneja concludes.

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