It might be more practical and affordable to print these items yourself rather than buy them if you use magnetic business cards or refrigerator magnets to support your marketing efforts. The use of magnetic inkjet papers provides a means of achieving that goal, but caution is advised. Although magnetic inkjet papers typically function with inkjet printers, they require special handling and storage techniques and are incompatible with laser printers.
The Medium
A laminate combining paper and magnetic sheets is what makes up magnetic inkjet paper. Some manufacturers provide roll-fed magnetic paper in widths suitable for use in a wide-format inkjet printer, even though the majority of items in this category come in letter-sized sheets pre-cut to feed through a desktop output device. Using scissors, a razor-blade knife, or a cutting plotter, you can cut the material. Another feature of some sheet-fed media is scoring, which allows a set of 10 business cards to be cut from each page.
Advantages
You may quickly create short-run promotional magnets using magnetic inkjet paper and include them in client mailings or presentations. The sheets work well in the majority of common desktop inkjet printers created after 1999, however it’s a good idea to double-check compatibility with your particular printer. The soft, flexible material can accommodate text, graphics, and photos printed from any software, including word processors and graphics applications, and it cuts easily with common scissors.
Disadvantages
You won’t be able to feed more than one sheet of this unique substrate into your printer at once because magnets are attracted to other magnets. The sheets would adhere to one another and improperly load. The thickness of these sheets also requires that they be fed one at a time. They need special storage away from items that can be recorded or erased, like audio or data tapes, whose contents they might harm. Magnetic inkjet paper is not suitable for use outdoors, exposure to moisture, or exposure to light. Your output hardware needs a straight, uncomplicated paper path from the feeder to the output tray for the best chances of printing success, preventing the possibility of curling the sheets or displacing pre-scored items like business cards. Finally, because of their cost, save these sheets for after you’ve proofed and verified your design on plain paper.
Risks
Magnetic paper that is fed through a laser printer as opposed to an inkjet printer offers serious threats to your electronics. The media, like the majority of specialist inkjet media, isn’t heat-resistant enough to fuse toner onto paper in the fuser assembly. Despite being listed as an inkjet-friendly medium, magnetic paper still needs to be handled carefully in inkjet printers. Some hardware can be affected by the presence of magnetic media because it uses electromagnets to control some aspects of its operation. Ferrous metals are found in other devices, which draw the magnet in and keep it there.
