Paper Sleeve

纸套 (Paper Sleeve) is a general term for packaging made of paper or cardboard that forms a pouch-like space to directly hold optical discs. The simplest design consists of a single sheet of paper folded and glued along three sides, with the fourth side left open; there are also versions featuring a flap, a circular window, a sealing tab, or multi-fold panels. It can serve as the primary outer packaging for commercial releases or as an inner sleeve for discs within box sets, record-style sleeves, or information kits.

纸套 has no standardized dimensions or material specifications. Thin paper sleeves are primarily used for separation and dust protection, while thicker cardstock can serve both as a printing surface for the cover and as structural support; the inner surface may also be lined with polyethylene, non-woven fabric, or softer paper materials to reduce friction between paper fibers and the disc surface. Generic paper sleeves with transparent plastic windows make it easy to identify the disc’s label, but the adhesive layer of the window, aged plastic, and rough seams may come into contact with the disc. In standard 纸套 sleeves, the disc is typically held in place by friction, without the central tab found in a jewel case. When removed, the disc’s recording surface may slide along the inner wall of the paper, and dust particles can create fine scratches under pressure; an overly tight bag opening may also cause the disc to warp. Whether this results in actual read errors depends on the location and severity of the scratches, but “paper” itself does not guarantee the absence of wear. Some packaging includes a separate inner sleeve specifically to keep the printed outer sleeve separated from the material that comes into contact with the disc’s surface.

“Paper Sleeve” and “Mini-LP Sleeve” overlap in meaning but are not synonymous. The latter typically refers specifically to CD packaging scaled down to the proportions of a vinyl record sleeve, reproducing the original artwork and inserts; a standard 纸套 may lack a record-style design and is not required to replicate historical versions. Paper Digipaks, on the other hand, usually include adhesive trays or more complex book-style folds, and their structure differs from that of a simple sleeve.

The track and version information printed on 纸套 is often inseparable from the packaging itself; replacing the sleeve will result in the loss of the original graphics and text. Creases, cracks, adhesive failure, and warping due to moisture are changes in the packaging material and do not directly indicate damage to the disc data; however, if moisture-absorbing paper comes into prolonged contact with the disc surface, or if adhesive migrates onto the disc, this may further affect the surface of the medium.