What is lamination, and do I need it?
Lamination is a thin, clear film applied over the printed sheet. It protects the print from spills, moisture, fingerprints and general wear, and makes the piece feel heavier and more finished.
Lamination is not the paper finish
It is easy to mix the two up, because both use the words matt and gloss.
- Silk, gloss and uncoated describe the paper itself.
- Matt, gloss and soft-touch lamination describe a film added on top after printing.
So a business card can be printed on silk card and then given a matt lamination.
When it is worth it
Lamination earns its cost on anything that is handled again and again:
- Menus and price lists
- Business cards
- Reference guides and folded leaflets that get kept
- Covers of booklets and brochures
A laminated menu wipes clean and survives being handled all day. An unlaminated one can look tired within days.
When you can skip it
- A flyer that will be read once and recycled. Unlaminated is the more economical choice.
- Anything people need to write on. Laminate is hard to write on with an ordinary pen.
- When you want the natural feel of the paper. Our Premium Classic Business Cards, for example, can be ordered with no lamination.
Other benefits
- It makes the sheet stiffer and more resistant to tearing.
- It helps protect areas of heavy, dark ink from scuffing and marking.
Types
We offer matt, gloss and soft-touch lamination, depending on the product. See matt, gloss or soft-touch lamination for how to choose. The product page is the authority on the options for each product, because ranges change.