The business card is one of the essential marketing tools for your company. It’s how you introduce yourself and provide information about your product or service to potential clients. How your cards appear can make all the difference in whether someone takes notice, so you must be aware of all the different printing processes, even for same day printing for custom cards.
Regular
Regular business cards are printed on a single side and come in standard sizes, which are 3.5″ x 2″. You can choose from many colours and materials for your card, including metallic, matte, glossy and linen.
You can also have your logo or name printed on the front of your card and contact information, such as an email address or phone number.
Spot UV
UV spot printing is a popular option for business cards. UV Spot printing is a great way to add a little extra flair to your business card and make it stand out from the rest. It’s also a good option for business cards printed in large quantities because it allows you to have multiple colours on one side of your card (without having each colour take up precious space).
Foil
Foil business cards are an excellent way to stand out from the crowd. They can be printed with a thin layer of metal applied over the entire surface of the card or just on certain parts. Gold and silver foil work well as accents or logos on top of your regular print job, while colour foils can add some extra visual interest when used in conjunction with other types of printing (like spot UV).
Edge painting
Edge painting is a process that involves applying colour to the edge of your business cards. This can be done either by printing or embossing and can be done on the entire card edge or just part of it. The result will give them an added dimension and make them stand out from other cards on your client’s desk.
Lettershop services
Letterpress printing is traditional, with each colour pressed into the paper individually by hand. This method creates an elegant finish that has a handmade feel to it.
Embossing involves pressing the design into your business card using raised ink to create a 3D effect.
Debossing is much like embossing, except it uses sunken images instead of raised ones. This can add dimension to your design by creating a shadow effect that makes it look like it’s floating above the surface of the finished product.
Foil stamping involves applying foils in various colours onto your business card using heat and pressure so that they stick permanently onto its surface. This results in an eye-catching effect (and can help protect against theft). UV coating is another finishing process where you apply a coating on top of your printed image to give it extra protection or colour vibrancy.
Embossing and debossing
These are two different ways to apply texture to your business card by creating a raised or recessed effect. Both embossing and debossing can be combined with other printing methods like laser engraving and foil stamping to create what is known as a “3D” effect on your cards.
In embossed cards, the raised surface is created using pressure from rollers that press into the paper. In debossed cards, the recessed surface is created by pressing down on rollers onto areas of lower pressure that make these areas sink into the paper (basically, it’s similar to how an ice cube melts).
Conclusion
Hope you’ve enjoyed reading about all the different types of business card printing. It is good to keep contacts handy for same day printing in case you stock out before an important meeting.