Optical brighteners (OBA's)

What are OBAs?

OBA is an abbreviation of Optical Brightening Agent, which refers to the chemicals that are added into the coating of some inkjet papers. These chemicals enhance the colour of the paper to give a whiter look. Paper naturally has a creamy yellow colour, so adding OBAs allows manufacturers to offer papers of varying base tones, particularly bright whites.

The way that OBAs work is by absorbing ultraviolet rays (UV) and re-emitting them as blue light. To the human eye, the reflected blue light makes the paper look brighter. This is why prints can sometimes look different under varying lighting conditions where there are different levels of UV.

Are OBAs bad?

OBAs have a bit of a bad reputation in the print industry. This is because over time, environmental factors can cause the chemicals to break down, resulting in the paper discolouring and returning to its natural colour. You may have seen this happen with old family photos that have yellowed over the years.

There are factors that cause this reaction to happen faster, such as the conditions in which your prints are displayed/stored and the inks that were used. For example, if you use dye-based inks and display the print next to a window, it will yellow much faster than if it was printed with pigment-based ink and displayed in a frame with art glass. This is because UV light causes the breakdown of the chemicals.

We only use pigment inks and Giclée printers at Vericapta.

Whilst this isn’t a problem for short-term use or low-cost prints, such as prints that will be displayed in an album or on a wall for several years. If you want your prints to be archivally stable you will need a paper that is OBA free.

When should I use paper with OBAs?

When you prefer a whiter look

When reproducing high-quality images or artwork, paper with OBAs can enhance the visual impact. When printing a vibrant, punchy image or a stark black and white shot, the whiteness of the paper can really accentuate these qualities and lift the colours and highlights.

When should I use OBA free paper?

Archival and Long-term Preservation

For documents and materials intended for long-term preservation, such as historical records, important certificates, or archival photographs, it’s best to use paper without OBAs to avoid the yellowing effect.

Art Conservation

In the preservation and conservation of valuable artwork, antique prints, or precious photographs, it’s essential to choose paper that is OBA-free to avoid potential degradation and ensure the longevity of the artwork. As we mentioned earlier it is worth considering other factors for UV exposure such as framing.

Source: Permajet