What is a Paper Ream?
A paper ream is a package of 500 sheets of paper of the same quality and style which have been cut to the same size. Consumers often purchase paper in the form of reams, while printers may work in even bigger volumes. The paper ream is also used as unit of base measurement for calculating the weight of paper, which is a reference to its density. Weight is usually indicated with the pound symbol (#), often on the endcap of a paper ream so that consumers can utilize this information when selecting paper. The history of the ream is quite interesting. Originally, a paper ream was made up of 20 quires, sheaves consisting of 24 sheets of paper, meaning that a ream actually contained 480 sheets. The definition of “quire” itself has also changed through the ages, but this is an entirely separate issue. To add to the chaos, printers usually purchased reams which contained 516 sheets of paper, to account for potential wastage. Ultimately, many paper companies adopted a 500 sheet standard for the
A paper ream is a package of 500 sheets of paper of the same quality and style which have been cut to the same size. Consumers often purchase paper in the form of reams, while printers may work in even bigger volumes. The paper ream is also used as unit of base measurement for calculating the weight of paper, which is a reference to its density. Weight is usually indicated with the pound symbol (#), often on the endcap of a paper ream so that consumers can utilize this information when selecting paper. The history of the ream is quite interesting. Originally, a paper ream was made up of 20 quires, sheaves consisting of 24 sheets of paper, meaning that a ream actually contained 480 sheets. The definition of “quire†itself has also changed through the ages, but this is an entirely separate issue. To add to the chaos, printers usually purchased reams which contained 516 sheets of paper, to account for potential wastage. Ultimately, many paper companies adopted a 500 sheet standard for
