Printing Secrets from Print Acumen
Improving Company Image
Through Printing
Special finishing processes & embellishments can really make your business stationery & marketing documents really stand out and help keep your business ahead of the pack.
Marketing Stationery
Varnishing.
Adding special finishing processes and appropriate embellishments to printed marketing stationery can really improve its presentation.
The most cost effective & simplest improvement is gloss or mat varnishing. This is a ‘print on’ process so it’s usually applied on the same run as the printing. Not only does it increase the look & feel of the document it also protects it against scuffing. Scuffing is where the surface of the paper or the ink ‘scuffs’ when rubbed with fingers or when rubbing against other documents.
Laminating
Mat or gloss laminating is a better option than varnishing as it does look and feel better however it’s an ‘offline process’ therefore it costs than varnishing.
Laminating is where a thin film of laminate is bonded to the stock through either a cold or hot bonding process.
Embossing & Debossing
Embossing or debossing adds style to any marketing document and is usually restricted to a logo or other graphic. Embossing means the area that’s embossed is raised and debossing means the area is a relief.
Spot Varnishing
Spot UV varnishing is a process whereby a specific area of the document is to be highlighted by a gloss varnish. By using UV (ultra violet) varnish and the silk screen printing process, a very thick layer of high gloss varnish can be applied to the document.
When this process is combined with a mat laminate, the end result can be quite dramatic.
For example, the front cover of an annual report or corporate presentation folder that has a photo of a city scene and a particular building in the scene needs highlighting. The whole of the front cover can be mat laminated and the building can then be spot varnished.
This really draws attention to the area that you want the readers to notice.
Hot Stamp Foiling
Foiling is another option for enhancing specific areas of a document. It’s a process whereby foil is heat bonded to the stock.
The foil is available in many colours including white & clear and is even available as a holograph. Foiling can be used for highlighting certain areas of the document or your logo can be foiled only without the need for any printing
Die-cutting & Scoring
Die-cutting is a process where selected areas of a document are ‘cut out’ & stripped away. The die can be made in any shape to suit the situation and the document can be scored so that it folds in a predetermined position.
Printed, paper based promotional items, presentation folders, brochures, business cards, shelf talkers, hand outs, etc are all documents that lend themselves to die-cutting & scoring.
Business Stationery
Special finishing and embellishing can be used for business stationery but on a restricted basis.
For example all company letterheads are printed on a laser printer or an inkjet printer. Laser toner will not bond to a varnished sheet and the laminate on a laminated sheet will melt from the intense heat of a laser printer.
As for an inkjet printer, the ink will not dry suffiently on either a varnished sheet or a laminated sheet.
The same heat issue applies to letterheads that are foiled. The heat of the laser printer can cause the foil to lift off.
Running foiled letterheads through an inkjet printer will not cause any problems whatsoever.
Running die-cut letterheads through a printer is not recommended as the cut-out can cause the sheet to jam is it runs through.
Embossed or debossed letterheads generally run through a laser printer or inkjet printer.without any problems at all.
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