Printing and finishing that hold up in retail
Offset, screen and digital printing with Pantone matching, plus the finishing steps that decide whether a pack looks printed or looks made.
Printing methods
| Offset | Best colour accuracy and the lowest unit cost at volume. Used for board cartons, printed cards and sleeves. CMYK plus Pantone, with a proof approved before the run. |
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| Screen | Lays down a heavier ink film, which matters on plastic where a solid colour has to read as opaque. Used for boxes and cylinder tubes in one or two colours. |
| Digital | No plate cost, so it makes short runs and multiple versions economical. Colour is close to offset but not identical — worth knowing before a brand colour is signed off. |
| Hot stamping | Foil applied under heat and pressure for a metallic or high-contrast mark. Usually reserved for the logo or a single line, not for large areas. |
Which method applies is a function of material, run length and how exact the brand colour has to be — not a preference. A 5,000-piece plastic box and a 5,000-piece board carton will not use the same process.
Finishing
Lamination
Matte or gloss film over the printed sheet. Matte reads more expensive and hides fingerprints; gloss lifts colour saturation.
Soft-touch
A velvety coating that changes how the pack feels in the hand. Photographs badly, which is why it is usually chosen after handling a sample.
Spot UV
Gloss varnish applied to one area against a matte background, so a logo or pattern catches the light while the rest stays flat.
Emboss / deboss
Raising or recessing an area with a metal die. Works best on uncoated board and on marks that are simple in shape.
Window patching
A PET or PVC window set into a board cut-out, so the product shows through without a full plastic box.
Die cutting & creasing
The step that decides whether a carton folds squarely. A crisp crease is what stops a lid from sitting crooked.
What we need to print accurately
- Vector artwork (PDF or AI) with text outlined. Raster logos can be redrawn, but it costs a round of approval.
- Bleed of 3 mm beyond the cut line, and no critical content closer than 3 mm to a fold.
- Pantone references for brand colours, or a physical swatch. A colour picked on screen will not match.
- Barcode data with the required symbology and size, if the pack carries one at retail.
- Multi-language panels supplied as separate blocks, so text does not get reflowed by the printer.
Have artwork that needs checking?
Send the file and we will tell you what has to change before it can be printed — before you pay for plates.