Did you ever wonder why some notepads are yellow in color? What does the poundage mean in paper weight? Who invented hole punching in paper?

As a leading supplier of accounting and other office supplies, we thought it would be interesting to share a bit of history behind 3 of the features of the paper products we sell.

Yellow or Cream?

We offer a variety of forms and pads with pre-printed columns and rows to make keeping track of lists, financial numbers, and other need-to-be-tracked items easier.

We offer different notepads in cream or yellow paper color. Some people find the yellow color easier on the eyes to work with. It is thought that the ink contrasts better on the paper, making the content easier to read. In the brightness of office fluorescent lighting, the yellow might have less glare than a harsher white color.

Some people believe that yellow (as found on legal pads often used by lawyers) stimulates the intellect -- although this hasn't necessarily been proven. Whatever the reason, some people simply prefer to work with yellow notepads and we're happy to oblige.

Paper Weight

The weight of our working notepads and columnar paper is 20 lb. The weight description for paper is measured in pounds per every 500 sheets of paper. So, a paper with a weight of 20 lb. means that 500 sheets of our paper would weigh 20 lb.

This is important depending on the function of the paper. For working notes, accounting purposes, and worksheets, 20 lb. paper works nicely.

You'll find that our Working Report Covers are a much heavier weight of 175 lb. This is because they need to be sturdy to protect your valuable reporting documents. 175 lb. weight is a heavier weight than even colored card stock (which ranges from 50 - 110 lb).

Hole Punching

Custom hole punching is a feature we offer on all of our working pads and report covers. The first patent for a hole punch for paper was filed in 1885 by a man named Benjamin Smith. The spring-loaded single hole punch device was used mainly by conductors for punching passenger tickets on trains.

The simple idea is still in use today. How else would you affix paper into a binder if not to punch holes in it? We offer 5 standard options for hole punching -- depending on the binder style you prefer to use. If your binder doesn't match our standard hole types - let us know what you need and we can work with you.