What is soft-touch (velvet) lamination?
In short
Soft-touch lamination, also called velvet lamination, is a matt film with a velvety, slightly soft feel, applied over the print to give business cards a distinctive handle and protection from scuffs.
Soft-touch lamination is a thin film bonded over the printed card that feels soft and velvety to the touch, rather than smooth like ordinary matt laminate. It is also sold as velvet laminate or suede laminate. People tend to notice it the moment they pick a card up.
For design tips and when to choose it, read our soft-touch lamination guide.
Soft-touch or matt?
| Matt laminate | Soft-touch laminate | |
|---|---|---|
| Look | Low sheen | Low sheen |
| Feel | Smooth | Velvety |
| Protection | Resists scuffs | Resists scuffs |
| Good for | Clean, practical cards | Cards meant to feel special to hold |
Soft-touch goes on both sides of our business cards, and matt laminate on both sides or the front only. Both are options on the product page alongside no laminate, gloss laminate and gloss varnish, including on our standard 400gsm silk card.
Designing for soft-touch
Like any matt film, soft-touch takes a little shine off colours, so very bright tones can look slightly calmer than on unlaminated silk. Dark, rich designs and simple layouts tend to suit it well. Use rich black (C63 M52 Y51 K100) for large black backgrounds and keep small text in 100% black.
Writing on it
A laminated surface doesn't take a pen as easily as uncoated or plain silk card. If you need to write on your cards, choose no laminate. Our business card size guide covers the 85 x 55mm UK size and artwork set-up.
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