Pearlescent paper is the most used paper in the catalog
Of the 112 red packets with a paper recorded, 66 use pearlescent paper, far more than tactile paper (20) and glitter paper (11). The surface gives off a fine sheen in the light, red looks fuller, and it sits well with gold designs.
The base color of pearlescent paper can differ a great deal. Besides records that say only “pearlescent paper”, the catalog records dark red, bright red, ice-white, rose and pink. The examples below are sorted by base color.
Dark red pearlescent paper: restrained, and gold shows more
A dark red base is deeper, so gold and bright red designs contrast clearly against it. The horse brand packet fills a dark red ground with gold and bright red horses in alternation. The auspicious dragon packet has a bright red dragon coiling upward toward a gold full moon. The “万事如意” brand packet places bold “万事如意” (“may everything go as you wish”) beside a lion-dance lion drawn in bright red lines. A dark red base suits designs with fine lines and many layers.
Bright red pearlescent paper: bright, with a strong festive feel
Bright red is closer to the usual idea of “red packet red”. The gold blessing-collage packet sets a full face of gold blessings against bright red. The full-face gold horse packet uses one gold horse that fills almost the whole layout. The 潮粥荟 brand packet uses gold and silver to separate the text from the illustration on a bright red ground.
If you cannot decide between dark red and bright red, look at the dance-organization 福 packet: the same design was made in dark red and bright red and the two sit side by side, so the difference in base color can be compared directly.
Ice-white pearlescent paper: a base for color printing
In the catalog, ice-white pearlescent paper is mostly used for color-printed packets. The Chinese-style creative packet shows two designs side by side, on a purple and a red ground, with folding fans, large flowers, rocks and a white deer. The KINI New Year packet spreads pink-purple curved bands with a white cat lying on an orange. The cartoon God of Wealth packet shows a laughing God of Wealth with open arms. When an illustration needs rich color, consider this paper first.
Rose and pink: a different base color
The base does not have to be red. The 2026 “马上发财” packet is on rose pearlescent paper, with a black galloping horse and gold calligraphy. The silver God of Wealth packet is on pink pearlescent paper, with the whole design in silver. These base colors suit designs that should stand apart from common red packets.
What to confirm when choosing pearlescent paper
- Base color name or sample number: the same name can cover very different colors, so confirm against a paper sample or the paper swatches.
- Design color: gold, silver or color printing; judge it together with the base color.
- Screen versus the real thing: the pearlescent effect is hard to show fully in photos; arrange a paper sample if needed.
- Weight: a few records give a paper weight (such as 160g); the weight is only a reference, see the paper selection guide.
