Maybe you don't know its name, you’ve probably seen grey chipboard paper in many different places.

Some of the uses for the versatile material include shoeboxes, book covers and in many stationery shops.

We’ll learn more about this strong and durable paper, including why it’s so popular and why it’s grey.

What is Grey Chipboard?

Chipboard is a thick kind of paper stock that is made from 100% recyclable materials.

Other common names for chipboard include strawboard (as it was made in the past with cereal straw), container board, unlined chipboard and greyboard.

How Is Grey Chipboard Paper Manufactured?

Chipboard paper is made from waste paper, packaging and cardboard. The waste material is mashed together to produce paper pulp.

If the pulp contains a lot of newspaper it will have a grey colour instead of the usual brown.

Different Chipboard Sizes

Unlike other paper stock, chipboard is categorised on its thickness or “caliper” – as opposed to weight. This often confuses people who want to buy the product.

Sometimes the thickness is measured in millimetres (mm), and sometimes it is measured in microns. Microns are sometimes referred to as “Mics” or by the symbol µ (the letter m in classical Greek).

Unlined chipboard can be supplied in sizes ranging from 0.3mm (300 micron) up to 5mm (5000 micron) thick.

It’s useful to consider how difficult the different thicknesses will be to cut when you’re working with chipboard. Thinner sizes can be cut with scissors while thicker sizes will require a guillotine or a die cutter.

The Benefits of Grey Chipboard

Using grey chipboard paper has many different benefits. Some of these include:

Environmentally friendly & made from 100% recyclable materials.

Very thick and durable.

Much cheaper than comparable products.

Grey Chipboard also has a grey “unfinished” look which appeals to brands advertising a “No Frills”, environmentally-sustainable product.

The finish also makes it a favourite for stationery. It’s easier to decorate than glossy brown and is used in many scrapbooks.

The Many Uses Of Grey Chipboard Paper

Grey chipboard applications used to many fields and it can be cut, stamped, inked and painted.

This makes it ideal for many different kinds of product packaging and for different kinds of stationary.

Some of its more common uses include:

Shoeboxes

Hardback book material

Folders

Calendars

Cable reels

Photo frames

Shirt accessories

Puzzles & crafts