Short answer
A square-meter price is only one input
Papyrn's current material reference is about RMB 160 per square meter for 300 gsm seed paper. The finished card also needs a cutting layout, inkjet printing, die cutting, packing and a confirmed quantity. Paper left outside the finished shapes still matters to production cost. Ask for a quote for the actual flat card rather than multiplying its area by the material rate and treating that result as a selling price.
A 4 x 6 inch card: the area calculation
A flat 4 x 6 inch card measures 0.1016 x 0.1524 meters. Its finished area is 0.01548384 m2. At the reference of RMB 160/m2 for 300 gsm material, the simple calculation is 0.01548384 x 160 = about RMB 2.48 per card of theoretical net finished-area paper.
RMB 2.48 is not a card cost, selling price or customer quote. It ignores how cards are arranged on an available sheet, offcuts and setup allowance, printing, die cutting, handling, packing and delivery. A real order must buy and process enough material to produce the approved quantity, not just the mathematical area inside each finished outline. The material reference itself should also be reconfirmed when the order is placed.
For a business-card-size piece, confirm its exact finished dimensions before doing the same area calculation; "business card" does not describe one universal cut size. Our flat-card size guide covers that choice.
What changes a finished-card quote?
They determine the cutting layout and material used beyond the net card area.
Exact width, height and whether the card is a simple rectangle or custom die cut.
The RMB 160/m2 reference applies to 300 gsm only; the embedded seed is a separate specification.
Preferred 300 gsm or a request to quote 200/500 gsm separately, plus the seed option.
The print plan and cut shape need a physical proof on the chosen seed paper.
Final files, planting copy, QR destination if any, and any proposed nonstandard finish.
Setup and packing are spread across the ordered number of cards; delivery terms affect the total landed cost.
Quantity, destination country, required date and requested shipping basis.
Papyrn seed-paper cards start at 100 pieces. A minimum order is not a promise of the lowest unit price; ask for comparable quotes at the quantities you are actually considering. We have not established material rates for 200 or 500 gsm, so do not apply the 300 gsm rate to either. See the weight guide for how to approve the physical material.
Do not add conventional-card finishes by default
Papyrn normally recommends inkjet printing and die cutting for seed paper. Other finishing processes are not routine because they may damage seed viability, so a request for lamination, foil, coating or embossing should be discussed and tested rather than silently included in an estimate. We normally keep seed-paper cards flat; folding can crack them. These decisions affect both the viable production specification and what should be quoted.
Likewise, neither the paper price nor the card price establishes a germination rate. Keep claims about the actual seed and batch separate from the cost calculation.
How to compare two supplier quotes fairly
- Use the same finished size, quantity, weight and seed option in both requests.
- Check whether the price covers printing, die cutting, packing and a physical sample or whether any are separate.
- Confirm whether shipping is included, the destination and the quoted delivery terms; do not compare an ex-factory price with a delivered one.
- Ask what artwork and planting-copy approvals are needed before production.
- Check any numerical seed-performance claim against evidence for the relevant finished batch, not the price sheet.
A clear quote should state what is included, what remains subject to sample approval, and which assumptions could change the price. If the final design has not been approved, treat the number as an estimate rather than a fixed production offer.
Published October 30, 2026. About RMB 160/m2 is Papyrn's current reference for 300 gsm seed-paper material only. The RMB 2.48 calculation uses the theoretical finished area of one 4 x 6 inch card and is explicitly not a finished-card price or quotation. Other weights, cutting yield, processing and shipping require order-specific confirmation. The image is illustrative.
FAQ
Seed-paper card pricing questions
Is RMB 160 per square meter the price of a finished seed-paper card?
No. About RMB 160/m2 is Papyrn's current reference for 300 gsm seed-paper material. It is not a finished-card unit price and excludes cutting yield, printing, processing, packing and delivery.
What is the theoretical material area of a 4 x 6 inch card?
Its finished area is 0.1016 m x 0.1524 m, or 0.01548384 m2. At the 300 gsm material reference of RMB 160/m2, that is about RMB 2.48 of net finished-area paper, before all waste and production costs. It is not a quote.
Do 200 and 500 gsm seed paper have the same area price?
We have not confirmed prices for those weights here. Request a separate current material and finished-card quote for each weight; do not apply the 300 gsm reference to them.
What is the minimum order for seed-paper cards?
Papyrn seed-paper card orders start at 100 pieces. The final price depends on the approved finished size, weight, seed option, artwork, quantity, processing and delivery terms.