Business Cards - Finishes

A business card should be a high-quality condensed version of your overall brand and business. But when you hand that card over to a client, what about it makes you memorable? Let’s talk about some finishing options that will set you apart from your competitors.

Celloglazing

This is a plastic film heat-bonded to a printed product. In the case of a business card, first they are printed, then celloglazed before being trimmed to size. This finish provides protection, as well as a very tactile finish. It can be applied to one side, or both sides of a printed item. It is sometimes referred to as laminate, but is different to the encapsulated kind that uses pockets.

We have different celloglaze options depending on the finish you are after:
Gloss: Highly reflective and lustred result. Think of gel nail polish or a polished timber floor.
Matt: Super smooth texture that is only moderately reflective.
Lux Velvet: As the name suggests, soft to the touch like velvet fabric.

Spot UV

This is a great addition to a celloglaze. It is a clear film that sits on top of any print or celloglaze, and it is used to add a reflective effect to very specific ‘spots’ or parts of a design – like a logo or name. You see this commonly used on book covers.

Scodix

Similar to the Spot UV, Scodix is a layered clear polymer application, adding more height to the design. It is only applied to very specific parts of a design to give extra dimension and lustre.

Metallic

Silver or Gold metallic finishes can be applied to your design similar to a Spot UV, and work best in selective use within a design. Giving dimension and sheen to your brand for a memorable impression, it can elevate dull greys or yellow/oranges in a design.

Die-cut

Although it can be difficult to achieve, if you have a great relationship with your printer you can get impressive results for a unique shape business card. Die-cutting means using a die to cut the shape of the card out of the stock, rather than using a guillotine to cut straight edges. Most printeries will have standard kinds of dies from previous jobs (like circles and rounded squares for coasters etc) but each facility will differ.

If there is a distinctive shape you want to achieve, a die will have to be made specifically for your purpose, but it can be kept on hand for the next time you order business cards. It can increase lead times and costs, but if design is integral to your brand, then it may be an exciting option to consider.


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