Abstract: An un-coated paper-making sludge substrate for metallizing, the substrate containing: 1) from about 40 to about 94 percent, by weight, low-average fiber length pulp, and 2) from about 6 to about 60 percent, by weight, ash generating materials, such that the paper-making sludge substrate is adapted, upon depositing a metallic coating onto a surface of the substrate, to provide a metallized paper with at least one surface having a gloss of at least about 19. Also disclosed is a metallized paper composed of: 1) a paper-making sludge substrate having a first surface and second surface, the paper-making sludge substrate containing from about 40 to about 94 percent, by weight, low-average fiber length pulp, and from about 6 to about 60 percent, by weight, ash generating materials, the paper-making sludge substrate being free of base coatings; and 2) a metallic coating on at least one surface of the substrate, so that at least one surface of the metallized paper has a gloss of at least about 19.