I'm interested in using a thick, heavy-weight cotton paper for a new project. Legion was kind enough to send samples of the Wild family, and we fell in love with the visual and actual weight of the 850 gsm stock. Unfortunately, a test print showed signs of ripping between the imprint. In anyone's experience, is there a paper comparable to the Wild 850 but with a higher cotton content? It's my guess that the wood pulp in the paper is what is causing it to tear when pressed.

Hi Kerry, Thanks for your post. The Wild 850 gsm is a very beautiful sheet with a unique texture and high bulk. It measures about 78 point thickness. The Combination of 35% cotton and wood pulp help keep the costs down on this super thick luxurious sheet. One question, did you try printing the other direction on the paper with the grain direction along the 40 inch side? This sometimes helps with cracking if your impression is printed with the grain. Try that if you haven't. Other options for 100% cotton papers are Gmund Cotton 900 gsm and Rising Museum Board in 4 ply (60 pt) or 8 ply (120 pt). They are both nice options for thick papers. They are not as textured as Wild but thick. We also have a non cotton, less expensive version of board called Rising Conservation in 4 ply or 8 ply Snow white. If you haven't seen the Savoy or Lettra grades we would be happy to send samples along for these items as well. They both offer a 600+ gsm weight stock. Please let us know if you need anything else. Best Tracy

Thanks so much for your help! I'll look into the heavier cotton papers you've mentioned, pick up some samples, and give them a try. I typically print pieces on the 600gsm Lettra and am very happy with it, but in this instance we were looking for something a little different and thicker. It helps to get an outside perspective on the papers and processes, and I always end up with a better project after a little bit of exploration.