Heavyweight Cardstock Comparison - Pt 2

PHOTO HEAVY POST ALERT!

This is the second installment in my quest to find heavy card stock alternatives (see this post for the first installment).  This time I've added colors from Gmund and Poptone to the mix.  I've also added prices for comparison.  

WEIGHTS & FINISHES

PTI's are 110 lb weight, smooth finish

Marks Finest Papers are 100 lb weight, smooth finish

Poptone papers are 100 lb weight, smooth finish

Gmund papers are 111 lb weight, smooth finish

All of the papers are virtually indistinguishable in weight and feel

PRICING & SHIPPING

PTI =  18¢ per sheet 

($9 for 50 sheets; free shipping over $60)

Mark’s Finest Papers = 24¢ per sheet 

($5.99 for 25 sheets; free shipping over $100 otherwise $13.95 flat rate priority)

Poptone =  30¢ per sheet 

($15.10 for 50 sheets; $6.99 flat shipping over $15)

Gmund = 42¢ per page 

($20.95 for 50 sheets; $6.99 flat shipping over $15)

I purchased the Poptone and Gmund colors from LCI Paper.  My shipments from MFP and LCI came super FAST!  We're talking within 3 days of ordering!  MFP shipped from Florida and LCI from Massachusetts (I'm in VA).   Both MFP and LCI shipped USPS (flat rate priority).  My PTI orders did not arrive as quickly and came by UPS or USPS (their choice).  

HOT PINKS

1) Poptone - Razzle Berry

2) PTI - Razzberry Fizz

3) MFP - Razmataz Berry

4) Gmund - Fuschia

Both Poptone and MFP are good alternatives but PTI is (very) slightly darker/deeper.  In use, the difference between Poptone, PTI, and MFP is negligible.  The Gmund pink is more blue in tone (cooler) which is expected for fuschia.  

LIGHT BABY PINKS

1) Poptone - Pink Lemonade

2) PTI - Sweet Blush

3) MFP - Markie’s Strawberry Milk

4) Gmund - Rosa

Both Poptone and MFP are close in color and are a pretty soft pink.  I personally prefer them to PTI because PTI reads too peachy/skin color to me.  Gmund is also peachy but is noticeably brighter than PTI.  PTI is a bit on the muted/dusty side.  

   

REDS

1) Poptone - Wild Cherry

2) PTI - Pure Poppy

3) MFP - Red Hots

4) Gmund - Vinum

So happy to have found that Gmund and PTI are practically a perfect match!  I find that MFP is too bright (candyish).  Poptone is a good mid red (a true red) if you need something lighter than Gmund/PTI.  (In my last comparison here, I did find a match for PTI Scarlet Jewel, but it is not shown here)

AQUAS

1) Poptone - Blue Raspberry

2) PTI - Hawaiian Shores

3) MFP - Aqua Light

These 3 aquas are pretty interchangeable.  If they weren’t labeled, I’d be hard pressed to tell them apart.

LIGHT AQUAS

1) Poptone - Berrylicious

2) PTI - Aqua Mist

3) MFP -  Seabreeze

If you love PTI, there is no equal match to Aqua Mist here.  But if you're just evaluating on color alone, I really like the MFP.  In person, the MFP is not quite as different from PTI.  It's like a more blue version.  As you can see, PTI can read very green/minty green (not a fan of that).  The Poptone is also a lovely color, but not really close to PTI.  A lovely light greenish blue, heavier on the blue (feels like a light robins egg).  

BLUES

1) Gmund - Royal Blue

2) PTI - Enchanted Evening

3) Gmund - Pelagus

4) PTI - Spring Rain

There are no real matches in this category.  If you are looking for a deep navy, Gmund (Pelagus) is a really pretty color.  I do enjoy the PTI (Enchanted Evening) but find that the dusty, greyish cast doesn’t match some of my navy inks or patterned paper.  It's "special".  The Gmund (Pelagus) is a truer navy blue, albeit pretty dark.  I don't use royal blue much and I don't have the PTI version to compare.

ORANGES

1) MFP - Sunrise Orange

2) Poptone - Orange Fizz

3) PTI - Orange Zest

4) Poptone - Tangy Orange

5) PTI - Terracotta Tile

6) MFP - Orangerie Sunset

MFP (Sunrise Orange) and Poptone (Orange Fizz) are a close match for a light orange.  PTI still wins for a true pumpkin, mid-range orange.  On the darker side, Poptone (Tangy Orange) and MFP (Orangerie Sunset) are very close in color.  For darker orange, I prefer either of these to PTI (Terracotta Tile).   PTI (Terracotta Tile) looks too much like a orangey-red instead of a reddish-orange (meaning, I like it more orange).  

YELLOWS

1) Poptone - Banana Split

2) PTI - Lemon Tart 

3) Poptone - Lemon Drop

4) MFP - Outright Lemon

5) PTI - Summer Sunrise

6) Gmund - Melon

On the light side, Poptone (Banana Split) is a cooler, brighter version of yellow more like candy yellow.  PTI (Lemon Tart) is softer and warmer.  Both the Poptone (Lemon Drop) and MFP (Outright Lemon) are good bright true yellows (sun/lemon yellows).  On the darker side, the Gmund is a slightly lighter version of the PTI (Summer Sunrise).  (Note: I don’t have PTI Harvest Gold to compare)

PURPLES

1) PTI - Lavender Moon

2) Poptone - Grapesicle

3) MFP - Grandma’s Lavender Patch

4) PTI - Plum Pudding

5) Poptone - Grape Jelly

6) MFP - Groovin Grape

Of the purples, Poptone (Grapesicle) and MFP (Grandma’s Lavender Patch) are good matches.  They are true lavenders and work well with PTI (Plum Pudding).  I always thought that Lavender Moon was too pinky next to PTI (Plum Pudding).  Poptone (Grape Jelly) and MFP (Groovin Grape) are bright, primary purples.  I don’t use that color much, but if you’re looking for a true purple, there you go.  

BLACKS

1) Gmund - Ebenum

2) PTI - True Black

3) MFP - Licorice Whips

Any of these blacks are fine, but the Gmund is on the slightly cooler side.  MFP is slightly lighter than PTI.

LIME GREENS

1) PTI - Spring Moss

2) MFP - Limeade

3) PTI - Simply Chartreuse

4) Gmund - Chartreuse

5) Poptone - Sour Apple

I still have to say that PTI (Simply Chartreuse) is my favorite lime, not too green and not too lime.  MFP and Poptone are pretty close bright candy limes (not neon, but brighter).  Gmund is a really pretty chartreuse that is lighter and yellower than PTI (Simply Chartreuse).  This Gmund green would coordinate well with PTI (Ripe Avocado).

LEAF GREENS

1) Poptone - Gumdrop Green

2) PTI - New Leaf

3) MFP - Lily Pad

Poptone and MFP are very close in color.  I prefer either of them to PTI.  PTI (New Leaf)  feels artificial to me and I much prefer the slightly more natural leaf color of the other two.  It's funny that the PTI green is more gumdroppy to me than the Poptone green.  

OLIVE GREENS

1) Poptone - Jellybean Green

2) PTI - Ripe Avocado

3) MFP - Deep Olive

Poptone and MFP are very close in color.  PTI is much yellower than the other two olives.  I don’t have a preference and it would depend on the application on what I would choose.

BROWNS

1) Gmund - Chocolate

2) PTI - Dark Chocolate

3) Poptone - Hot Fudge

4) MFP - Dark Chocolate Bar

All but the PTI browns are dark bittersweet chocolate brown.  You can see how they read almost gray.  Still prefer the PTI in this category.

BLUISH-GREENISH-GRAYS

1) PTI - Ocean Tides

2) MFP - Mossy Sage

3) PTI - Smokey Shadow

4) MFP - Evergreen

This is a weird category of blue/green/grays.  MFP (Mossy Sage) is more of a greenish-gray than a grayish-green (meaning it's more gray).  PTI (Ocean Tides) is the brightest, blue-green of the bunch.  MFP (Evergreen) is a very deep blue/green/almost black. 

BEIGES

1) Gmund - Pinus

2) MFP - Chipboard

3) PTI - Fine Linen

Gmund is more of a tan.  MFP is a kraft with flecks (don’t have PTI kraft to compare).  PTI  is more of a khaki color (lighter and less warm than Gmund).

CREAMS

1) MFP - Premium Vanilla Cream (140 lb)

2) MFP - Barely Pink

3) MFP - Fresh Cream

4) Gmund - Lac

5) PTI - Vintage Cream

Gmund and PTI are probably the closest in color, but not a match.  PTI is slightly darker and less yellow.  PTI is more of a greigy color.  MFP - Fresh Cream and MFP - Premium Vanilla cream are more traditional creams.  I include MFP (Barely Pink) in this category because it reads a slightly dark cream.  The pinkish tinge doesn’t come out so much unless put next to a pink/red.  Overall, I probably like PTI the best, but only barely.

Hope this comparison is useful to folks looking for alternatives!  I am hoping to get off my total dependence on PTI cardstock, so you may see further research on this topic.  Thanks for visiting!

{Aloha, jj}