Looking to make an instant and lasting first impression? Or want to achieve the maximum impact from your deliverable materials?  Finding good printing companies that can meet your expectations can be difficult. Luckily for you, we have compiled a list of tips and suggestions that can help you get the job done and narrow down your print shop options depending on their capabilities.

 

Purpose identification

Identify what you need to print for. For example, this can be for work, your hobbies, designs or group assignments for university. If it is something quite important, such as a report deliverable for you project, it would be appropriate to find a trusted and innovative printing companies to ensure your final product is of the highest quality. If it is less important, heading to your usual print shop will do just fine.

 

Jazz it up

Don’t be afraid of investing in higher price point, as the quality of your goods is not to be skipped out on. Extra embellishments bring a standard document to life. They can make an item look special and draw attention to messages you want to highlight. When embellishments are used effectively, it can make the reader feel important and clearly communicate the objective of the document.

 

Embossing

This embellishment leaves impressed and raised images or text onto the material of the document you are using. This effect works well with thick paper.

 

Debossing

Similar, but opposite to embossing, debossing creates a receded relief image or design in the material you are using. It works especially well on thick paper, book covers and leather.

 

Foil stamping

This is a traditional and permanent adhered application of metallic or pigmented foil to a solid surface of your goods.

 

Digital foil

Although visually identical to traditional foil stamping, instead of adhering foil to the card under high temperatures, digital foiling involves directly adhering on foil. It is available in various metallic hues, however the colour cannot be matched to a pantone. It is cost-effective for short runs and set-up costs are ore lower.

 

Silver foil board

This creates a metallic surface of any colour. It is the most cost-effective foiling effect and perfect for time sensitive orders. It can be applied on most surfaces, thicknesses and texture, making it one of the most versatile embellishments.

 

Spot UV

This provides a clear gloss coating to your desired image, creating a contrast effect between your highlighted image and the uncoated matte areas and adding visual interest on the page. It is a cost-effective embellishment in the medium to long-run.

 

Laser cutting

With the introduction and popularity of 3D printing to create eye-catching designs, laser-cutting options will spice up your goods. Traditionally It was used by engineers to cut complex parts for machines and now has translated to use by everyone, making creative designs more easy than ever. The process involves using a powerful laser to cut and engrave items from sheets of material, such as paper, plastic and wood. The path of the laser is defined by a software program, typically Adobe Illustrator. You will need to understand how the laser interprets the Illustrator file, see this helpful setup guide for laser cutting.

 

 

Keeping it together

Not only do your goods have to look aesthetic, it needs to come together in a useful and durable manner. When it comes to choosing what binding to utilise at the print shop, you can use three factors to decide: your budget, quantity of goods to be produced and the thickness of what needs to be binded.

 

Lay flat

This is a unique binding style that allows an uninterrupted spread of an image over two pages. Lay flat binding is ideal for premium goods such and complements quality photography and design work. For further details, look toward this informative breakdown.

There are many premium print shop services that understand how to implement your innovative and creative designs on your goods. We hope you find the one for you!