What makes Red River papers unique?

Red River is what is know as a paper converter. We buy bulk inkjet paper in rolls direct from mills in the USA, UK, EU, and Asia. At our facility in Dallas, TX, we sheet and cut our products into over 12 different sizes and rolls. Red River papers are unique because we have exclusive product arrangements with our suppliers, and even add extra manufacturing touches to paper to create exclusive items. When you buy from Red River, we are the only step between you and the paper mill. This means lower prices and more control over inventory - we rarely run out of product.

Are your papers compatible with my printer?

For most customers the answer is yes! Our papers are tested for quality and compatibility with most printers from Epson, Canon, and HP. We have inkjet paper for virtually every inkjet printer available today. Go here for a listing of the most popular Red River papers for your printer.

What types of paper do you offer?

All Red River papers are inkjet paper. In general, this means that they have a chemical coating that helps trap inkjet ink and produce photos with sharp detail and bright color. We offer gloss, semigloss, satin, matte (non-gloss), watercolor (cotton), and speciality inkjet media.

What sizes are available?

Most Red River papers are available in the following sizes:

Do your papers work with pigment inks?

Yes. Red River offers 15 different inkjet papers that are proven to work with Epson's UltraChrome™ and other 3rd party pigment inks from Media Street, MIS, Lyson, and other suppliers. Go here for our list of compatible papers.

How much do inkjet prints cost?

After years of printing ourselves, we have good estimates of how much money in ink a typical printer uses. A liberal estimate is $1 worth of ink for a full color 8x10 (80 sq.inches). This applies to most Epson and Canon printers. You can use that figure to calculate larger and smaller prints. Epson professional printers like the 7800 offer far greater cost savings per sq.inch than desktop printers.

How long will prints last on Red River papers?

How long a print will last depends heavily on your printer. In fact, what ink your printer uses is about 75%-85% of the print life "equation". Pigment inks (like Epson UltraChrome or Media Street for example) are an absolute must if you want prints that will last many years. Dye inks like Canon and many Epson printers use will make prints that last 1-20 years, depending on the type of paper you use and display conditions. Always display prints under glass or sprayed for longest print life. Matte and watercolor papers offer longer print life (with dye and pigment ink) than do glossy and semigloss papers. Red River Paper does all print life testing with the Rochester Institute of Technology. You can access our results here.

Do you offer ICC profiles for your papers?

Yes. Profiles are available for higher end Epson and Canon printers and select Red River papers here.

Can I dry mount inkjet prints?

In general, customers have indicated that dry mounting will not work with inkjet prints.

Do Red River papers have markings or a logo on the back?

No.

Why do you label the sheets in your sample kits?

After years of trial and error making sample kits, the method we use to ID papers has proven to be the best. There is a small stamp on the bottom right corner of each sheet on the front. The sample kits are designed to offer a convenient way to try each Red River paper and then easily identify which papers you like in the future. Ideally, customers will print a test image on each paper, assemble the prints into a book, and then use the book as a "buyers reference" for future projects.

Where do your papers come from?

We buy inkjet paper and media from mills in the USA, Europe, and Asia. Red River does business with a variety of paper makers from some of the largest to the smallest mills in the world. Our special relationships with these manufacturers make it possible for Red River to offer papers you cannot find anywhere else and products are great prices.

Why don't you carry an inkjet canvas?

We have actually carried three different canvas products over the years. We always ran into quality issues with each canvas. The problem was usually bad coating so that parts of an image would look great and others would smear. Red River Paper protects the value of our brand diligently and cannot offer a product where consistent quality is in question. If a high quality, high value canvas becomes available, we will offer it quickly.

What papers are best for Black & White printing?

The answer is very subjective. It really depends on the tone of B&W you like. The base paper's shade will effect the final look of the print. Generally, our papers are all "bright white". Some, like Polar Satin for example, feature a more yellowish tone, which may be better for sepia prints. The main technical difference amoung papers regarding this question is how deep black tones they can make. That ability makes certain papers more popular than others. However, the printer you are using is also a big factor in black printing. The best option is to try our papers by purchasing a sample kit.