FAQ

What is acid-free archival paper?
Fine art prints are printed on archival quality paper that will last at least 100 years. Physical strength for paper is ensured by using a long, high quality fiber such as cotton or flax. Paper of this type is often made using cotton rags, and hence is called rag paper.

The reason why the paper in books from the mid 1800s and earlier are not brittle or discolored, is that they are made with quality acid-free rag/cotton paper. If newspapers or books less than 20 years old are yellow and brittle, that means that they were made with acid woodchip paper.

Archival paper is specially made to have chemical and physical properties that ensure it remains useable for long periods. Acids damage paper and cause it to deteriorate. The environment we live in is slightly acidic, so paper makers counter this by making the paper pulp slightly alkaline rather than neutral. Calcium carbonate, an alkaline buffer, is added for this purpose. It also acts as a filler to make the paper more opaque. There are also extraneous materials (such as sugars, starches and gums) in the pulp that can cause discoloring and deterioration. Those need to be carefully removed during paper making.

Once paper has been made to archival standards, it requires proper storage for permanence. Wrapping and packaging materials should be acid-free. Acid-free storage boxes are also a good investment.

Why are PDFs preferable to Word documents?
When you have created a document and your data is situated just as you would like, you do not want to risk any shifting during printing. Unfortunately, Word documents have a tendency to shift or reformat from computer to computer. To ensure that your printed document will look identical to your digital document, we recommend that you create a PDF. By creating a PDF from your Word document, you lock in your data. This prevents any shifting of text or layout abnormalities.

Why can’t I color copy my license or passport?
It is against federal law to make a color copy of any legal identification document such as a passport or license. Because advances in technology have made digital color machines so sophisticated, it can be easy to make a fake ID or counterfeit passport. For this reason, we will not make color reproductions of these types of documents. Copies can be made, but only in black and white.

How do I prevent digital Images from becoming pixilated?
Many times people assume that web graphics will print as crisp as they look on the computer screen. Computer monitors display at 72 dpi (dots per inch) by default. However, most printers print at a minimum of 300 dpi. If your resolution is 300 dpi or higher (recommended maximum 600 dpi), then your images will print clean. The lower the dpi, the fuzzier the image.

Copyright Advice
Princeton Printing adheres to all copyright laws. For more information regarding Copyright laws, visit: publishers.org