Knowledge Base

Key terms Term  Definition  Gloss  The degree to which a surface reflects light in the specular (mirror) direction. Higher gloss means a shinier surface.  Specular reflection  Light reflected at the equal and opposite angle to the incident light, as from a mirror.  75 degree geometry  The measurement angle used for paper and board gloss, taken…

Gloss is the visual perception of shininess, and it comes from the way a surface reflects light. When light hits a very smooth surface, most of it reflects in a single direction, the specular direction, and the surface looks glossy. When the surface is rough or open, light scatters in many directions and the surface…

Gloss is a measure of how much light a paper or board surface reflects in the specular, or mirror, direction. A high-gloss sheet reflects light sharply and looks shiny. A matte sheet scatters light and looks dull. In the paper and board industry, gloss is a controlled optical property because it shapes how printed packaging,…

Paper and board gloss is measured at 75 degrees from the vertical, in line with TAPPI T480 and ISO 8254-1. The shallow angle spreads the reading across the surface, which makes it more sensitive and repeatable on low to medium gloss materials like paper. 

The TEST/Plus Gloss is a dedicated single-property instrument for a QC station. The PROFILE/Plus Gloss module is fully automated, measures top and bottom sides and MD and CD at once, and runs on a modular platform alongside other optical modules. 

Follow a regular calibration schedule using matched reference standards. Technidyne paper gloss calibration standards are certified traceable to master standards described in TAPPI T480, so routine calibration keeps readings consistent between cycles and comparable across sites. 

Paper is not identical on both faces or in both directions. The top and bottom (felt and wire) sides can differ, and gloss can vary along and across the sheet. Measuring both sides and both directions reveals coating or calendering variation that a single reading would miss. 

Coated and cast-coated papers and boards, light-weight coated publication grades, labels, and printed packaging all rely on gloss control, because appearance is part of the specification. Uncoated grades are measured too, usually where a matte or controlled finish must stay consistent. 

The PPWR is reshaping how packaging is designed and made. It sets requirements across the packaging lifecycle, and its first obligations become mandatory in 2026 for packaging placed on the EU market, including by manufacturers outside the EU who supply it. The areas with the widest impact include PFAS limits for food-contact packaging, minimum recycled…

The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is the European Union's regulation for packaging placed on the EU market. Its first requirements become mandatory in 2026 across all 27 EU member states and for businesses that supply EU markets. The rules reach across the whole packaging lifecycle, including thresholds for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)…