Coated Free Sheet (CWF) is one of the most widely traded grades of printing and writing paper globally. It is produced without mechanical wood pulp - using chemical pulp only (woodfree) - and coated on one or two sides with a mineral coating that gives it its smooth surface, high brightness, and ink receptivity. Printer excess stock, left over stock, and off-spec CWF consignments are actively traded across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas.
WHAT IS COATED FREE SHEET?
Coated Free Sheet is classified in the Writing and Printing paper category. The primary variants traded globally:
C1S - Coated One Side. Coating applied to one side, leaving the reverse uncoated. Used in labels, packaging liners, book covers, and display materials.
C2S Gloss - Coated Two Sides, Gloss finish. Maximum ink contrast and visual impact. Used in catalogues, art books, photography books, and premium commercial printing.
C2S Matte - Coated Two Sides, Matte finish. Reduced glare, easier to write on. Used in annual reports, educational materials, and premium brand communications.
The substrate designation:
WF - Woodfree (chemical pulp only)
GW - Groundwood (contains mechanical pulp)
HB - variant used in Asian market terminology
WHO TRADES CWF GLOBALLY?
Generators of CWF excess stock include commercial printers with cancelled jobs or overruns, paper merchants with slow-moving inventory, paper mills with off-spec production, and publishers with unused print stock.
Buyers of CWF excess stock include secondary paper distributors in South and Southeast Asia, converters using CWF in packaging and converting, trading companies sourcing below-market CWF for resale, and recyclers processing off-spec CWF into recycled pulp.
Active import markets: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, Turkey, and the Middle East.
The Circular Industry Cloud found a home for a Printer Excess Stock consignment in CWF Sheets - C1S and C2S Gloss and Matte grades from New York, USA - listed September 11, 2026. The material is heading to be upcycled.
Have CWF excess stock or printer overruns to move? List at inacsys.com. Starter plan at no charge.
#CircularIndustryCloud #Inacsys #CWF #CoatedFreeSheet #PrintingPaper #ExcessStock #CircularEconomy #PaperTrade #Upcycle