but less appreciated is the importance of stiffness—or rather, the ease with which the paper will bend: too bendy and the paper gives an impression of cheapness; too stiff and it seems self-important. This stiffness is controlled by the addition of “sizings,”—fine powder additives, such as kaolin and calcium carbonate, that among other things reduce the paper’s ability to absorb moisture, causing inks to dry on its surface rather than infuse its fibers, while also allowing the whiteness of the paper to be controlled.
