The question remained as to how low a level of binder could be used with all-cationic formulations to achieve accept- able strengths in the coating. We did perform experiments with coated papers having 5 to 3 pph binder in all-cationic formulations, but these coatings could be easily peeled off because there is not enough binder in the coating layer to adhere to the paper surface. The pick test was performed on all-anionic and all-cationic paper coatings at 3 and 5 pph of latex. These coatings showed pick values less than 0.3 m/s, and coating materials were transferred to the ink roller during the pick test. Essentially at some point, there is not enough binder present in the bulk to hold pigments to the surface of the paper. Nevertheless, we were successful in reducing the binder level from 10 pph binder, which is typically used in conventional coating applications, to 7 pph binder using an all-cationic formulation without losing any coating strength, and no additional co-binder was used in the formulation.