Types of Ribbon: How to Choose the Right Ribbon for Your Project

There are many different types of ribbon, and choosing the right one depends on what you’re making, wrapping or presenting. Ribbon material, width, finish and colour can all affect how the finished project looks — and, if you’re adding a logo or wording, how well it prints.

We’ve been working with ribbon and printing personalised ribbon since 2007. This guide explains some of the most useful types of ribbon, ribbon materials and ribbon sizes, together with the jobs each is particularly suited to.

What Are the Different Types of Ribbon?

Ribbon can be grouped in several ways: by the material it is made from, its surface and texture, whether it has finished or wired edges, and its width.

Some of the ribbon types you may come across include satin ribbon, grosgrain ribbon, organza ribbon, wired ribbon, recycled ribbon and acetate ribbon.

There isn’t one ribbon that is best for every job. A narrow satin ribbon used for wedding favours has very different requirements from a wide ribbon being used across a grand opening or a large bow.

Satin Ribbon

Satin is one of the most versatile ribbon types and the one we use for much of our personalised printed ribbon.

Its smooth surface provides a clean background for logos, wording and designs, while the range of available colours and widths makes it suitable for everything from small gifts to corporate packaging and events.

You’ll commonly see two terms used with satin ribbon:

Single-faced satin ribbon has the satin finish predominantly on one side and is a practical choice for many wrapping and printing applications.

Double-faced satin ribbon has a satin finish on both sides, which can be particularly useful when both sides of the ribbon remain visible after tying.

Grosgrain Ribbon

Grosgrain ribbon is easy to recognise from its distinctive ribbed surface.

It has a firmer, more textured appearance than smooth satin and can work particularly well for packaging, craft projects and applications where you want the ribbon itself to have more visible texture.

Selected grosgrain ribbons can also be custom printed, although the textured surface gives a different finished appearance from printing onto smooth satin.

Organza Ribbon

Organza is a lightweight, sheer ribbon that creates a softer and more delicate effect.

It is often chosen for weddings, favours, gifts and decorative applications where the translucent appearance forms part of the design.

Because organza behaves and prints differently from satin, it is worth considering the artwork and intended use before choosing it for personalised printing.

Wired Ribbon

Wired ribbon contains fine wire along its edges, allowing the ribbon to hold its shape more easily.

This makes it particularly useful for decorative bows and displays where loops and tails need more structure.

For straightforward gift wrapping or personalised ribbon printing, however, a non-wired satin ribbon is often more practical.

Recycled and Sustainable Ribbon

For projects where the material used is particularly important, recycled and alternative ribbon options are also available.

Our range includes ribbon made from 100% recycled plastic bottles, together with cellulose-based acetate ribbon and other sustainable options.

Read our guide to eco-friendly, recycled and sustainable ribbon.

What Ribbon Width Do I Need?

Choosing the correct ribbon width is just as important as choosing the material.

As a general guide:

• 7mm and 10mm ribbon – useful for small gifts, favours, baubles and delicate packaging.
• 15mm ribbon – a versatile size and one of our most popular widths for personalised ribbon.
• 25mm ribbon – excellent for gift boxes, branded packaging and hampers.
• 38mm and 48mm ribbon – gives logos and wording more impact and works well on larger packaging, hampers and presentation pieces.
• 100mm ribbon – ideal when you need a much wider statement ribbon for large displays, openings and specialist applications.
• 200mm and 300mm ribbon – extra-wide specialist ribbon for grand openings, finish lines and large-scale displays.

The dimensions of the item you’re wrapping and the size of your logo can both influence which width will work best.

Which Ribbon Is Best for Custom Printing?

For most personalised ribbon orders, satin ribbon is an excellent starting point. Its smooth surface works particularly well with logos, names and wording and gives a professional finished appearance.

Our single-colour printed ribbon range offers around 50 stock ribbon colours together with a wide selection of standard and metallic print colours.

For multi-coloured logos, detailed artwork or branding where colour matching is important, our full-colour printed ribbon gives you another option.

Choosing Ribbon Colours

Colour isn’t simply about choosing your favourite shade. Think about what the ribbon will be used with and, for personalised ribbon, the contrast between the ribbon and the print.

A dark ribbon with white, gold or silver printing can produce a striking result, while darker printing can work beautifully against pale satin colours.

If you’re ordering ribbon for a business, you can also choose colours that complement your existing brand rather than trying to reproduce every brand colour within the ribbon itself.

What Type of Ribbon Should I Choose?

Start with what you need the ribbon to do.

Are you wrapping a small gift, finishing a presentation box, tying wedding favours, branding hundreds of customer orders, creating a large bow or preparing for a grand opening?

Once you know the application, choosing the material, width and colour becomes much easier.

If you’re ordering personalised ribbon and aren’t sure which option will work best, tell us what you’re trying to create. Your dedicated contact can help you choose a suitable ribbon, and we’ll provide a visual proof before your personalised ribbon goes to print.

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