The # Symbol - From Printers to Social Media

The humble # symbol has taken on new meaning in the social media age, but for those of us in the printing industry, it's always been an important part of our work.

Long before Twitter made the hashtag ubiquitous, printers were using the # symbol as shorthand for pounds. When specifying paper weights, we'd use # to denote pounds - for example, 20# bond paper. This usage dates back many decades in the printing and graphic arts industries.

For printers, the # symbol provided a quick and easy way to specify paper weights and densities in text documents. It was a kind of industry shorthand that made specifications more efficient. And it's still common to see paper weights listed with the # symbol today in printing and graphic design work.

But with the rise of social media like Twitter and Instagram, the # symbol took on another meaning entirely - the hashtag. It's now used to mark keywords or topics in social media posts, making it easy to search for information and track conversations. The social media meaning derives from the "hash" or "number" sign name.

So the # symbol has an interesting history, evolving from a printer's shorthand to a core element of social media. As printing professionals, we've been using it for pounds long before hashtags went mainstream. It just goes to show how language and symbols can change over time while still retaining some of their original meaning. Next time you use a hashtag, think of your friendly neighborhood printers who used # first!

Contact us to learn more about 20# bond.