Printing white ink on coloured and kraft stock: what is possible

Most print assumes white paper. The ink sits on a pale background and the paper does the work of the light tones. But some of the most striking print starts with a dark or coloured stock, and that is where white ink changes what is possible.

Why white ink matters

Standard printing has no true white. On white paper it does not need one, because the paper is the white. But print on black, navy, kraft or any coloured stock, and suddenly you need a way to lay down light tones, or your design disappears into the background. White ink is that tool.

With white ink, a dark or coloured stock becomes a canvas. You can print crisp white type on black, soft designs on kraft, or use white as a base layer so other colours stay true rather than being muddied by the stock beneath.

What it lets you do

White ink opens up a set of effects that flat print on white cannot match:

• Clean white or light artwork on dark and coloured stocks
• Vivid colour on kraft, by laying white underneath so colours are not dulled
• Striking, high-contrast pieces that feel different in the hand
• Speciality looks for packaging, invitations and brand collateral

The result reads as considered and a little unexpected, which is exactly what a brand trying to stand out wants.

Where it works best

White ink suits pieces where the stock itself is part of the statement. Kraft packaging with a clean white mark. A black business card with white detailing. An invitation on a deep coloured stock. In each case the coloured stock and the white work together to create something that plain print on white could not.

A few things to know

White ink behaves differently from standard colour, and coverage and opacity depend on the stock and the design. A single hit of white looks different from a double hit, and some stocks take it better than others. This is a good example of where a sample on your actual stock is worth doing before the full run, so you can see the opacity and effect for real.

The short version

White ink turns coloured and kraft stocks into a design opportunity, letting you print light artwork and keep colours true on dark backgrounds. It suits pieces where the stock is part of the statement. If you are considering it, ask your printer for a sample on your chosen stock, because white ink is something you want to see in the hand before committing.