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Recognizing quality printing. There are certain things to look for in a business cards that denotes quality printing. Whether ordering business cards for yourself, or looking at someone else’s business cards, a trained eye will tell if the business card was printed or designed using proven quality printing practices.
Type of Printing Process. Depending on the type of business card, the actual printing process used varies. Full color business cards are gaining in popularity and are the number one choice for business cards. Full color business cards use printing presses or printing press and full bleed methods that transfer the entire image to the business cards and then trims of the edges to ensure that the entire card has proper ink coverage. Printing companies should use the four color CMYK printing process which is used for most magazine printings that can precisely match a broad spectrum of colors.
Type of Paper. Paper is measured in different ways, depending on type of paper and thickness. Most business cards are printed onto card stock, which is a very thick paper measured by a point system, where 12pt. cardstock is 0.012 inches thick. Standard business cards are 10pt. thickness, though 12pt. provides a thicker finished product. Paper is also measured by weight by0020number system, where 80# represents paper that weighs 80 pounds in a 500 count bundle. Paper weight is also classified by cover or text, where cover paper is heavier than text, so that 80# cover paper is heavier than 100# text paper. 65# paper is considerably lighter and a good choice for less expensive business cards.
Type of Finish. Paper is available in a number of finishes, depending on personal preference, as well as cost difference. Some finishes include linen, Parchtint, treasure, and leatherette. Linen and leatherette are textured finishes that produce a linen or leather looking appearance. Parchtint gives paper a parchment appearance with lighter and darker areas. Treasure or treasure cote is a glossy finish. Vellum is another textured finish that gives paper a slightly rough appearance. Most finishes are produced only on one side of the paper and is symbolized by “C1S”, or coating one side.
Type of Coating. Coating added to the finished printed product protects the card from the elements to make it a longer lasting quality product. It is perfect for full color business cards that may succumb to fading or scratching. Look for UV coating, as most printing companies offer the service free of charge as a method to ensure longevity of the product.
Request Samples. Are you still not sure about the finished product? Request a product sample, which most business card printing companies are happy to provide without a fee. Product samples can help you decide the thickness of paper and finish of paper, as well as careful inspection of full color or raised ink printing products.
Review these terms and process when ordering business cards, or use them as a standard to review business cards of others. Business cards are a representation of the person as well as the business, and without quality printing, what does that say about their services?
Angela Oliver is a contributing author for BusinessCardsPrinting.biz, providing a custom online design system for business cards and business printing. BusinessCardsPrinting.biz has numerous designs, printing options, and graphic design help to create professional, customized business cards.
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