Business card paper & finishes, understood.
Compare business card paper and finishes: 14pt and 16pt stock, matte, gloss, uncoated, soft touch, linen, foil and painted edges, with real tests.
Start with Business card paper stock guide: finishes, thickness and uses, the overview for this topic. Each guide after it answers a separate buying, preparation or troubleshooting question.
START HEREBusiness card paper & finishes · 5 MIN READ
Business card paper stock guide: finishes, thickness and uses
Compare business card paper stocks by finish, thickness and use: matte, glossy, uncoated, soft touch, linen and recycled, with 14pt, 18pt and 32pt thickness.
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Business card paper & finishes · 5 MIN READ
14pt vs 16pt business cards: thickness, feel and cost
14pt vs 16pt business cards explained: exact thickness in inches and millimeters, why paper weight differs from caliper, feel, cost and when to go thicker.
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Business card paper & finishes · 5 MIN READ
GSM vs pt: paper weight and card thickness explained
GSM measures paper mass in grams per square meter and pt measures thickness in thousandths of an inch. Learn why no chart converts one to the other reliably.
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Business card paper & finishes · 5 MIN READ
Matte vs glossy business cards: which finish fits your design
Matte vs glossy business cards compared: gloss levels, photo color, glare, writing, thickness and price, with a checklist for choosing the right finish.
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Business card paper & finishes · 5 MIN READ
Uncoated business cards: how to plan for handwritten notes
Uncoated business cards have no coating, so pens grip the paper. Learn how to size the writing area, choose a pen and test the stock before you order.
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Business card paper & finishes · 5 MIN READ
Soft touch business cards: what the velvet finish is and costs
Soft touch business cards explained: how the velvet laminate is made, how it compares with matte and gloss, durability, writing, foil pairing and price.
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Business card paper & finishes · 5 MIN READ
Foil vs spot UV business cards: how each finish works
Foil vs spot UV business cards compared: how hot foil and UV coating are made, look, feel and cost, plus artwork rules and when to choose each finish.
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Business card paper & finishes · 5 MIN READ
Rounded corner business cards: radius, design and bleed
Rounded corner business cards explained: common corner radius sizes, how much the curve trims, bleed and safe areas, durability, cost and layout tips.
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Business card paper & finishes · 5 MIN READ
Recycled business cards: what the label should prove
Recycled business cards should state recycled content as a percentage by weight. See what FTC Green Guides and FSC labels require before you print a claim.
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Business card paper & finishes · 5 MIN READ
Spot gloss business cards: how to set up the artwork
Spot gloss adds a clear shiny coating to chosen areas of a card. Learn how to build the mask file, size fine detail and keep contact details readable.
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Business card paper & finishes · 5 MIN READ
Dark business cards: proofing color and small text
Dark business cards need reversed text of at least 8pt, strong contrast and a printer approved black. Learn how to proof a dark card before production.
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Business card paper & finishes · 5 MIN READ
Thick business cards: how thick is worth it and what it signals
Thick business cards explained: what 14 pt, 16 pt and 32 pt mean, how layered stocks are made, the tradeoffs, and which businesses gain most from the upgrade.
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Business card paper & finishes · 5 MIN READ
Luxury business cards: papers, finishes and restraint that impress
What makes luxury business cards feel expensive: heavy stock, one hero finish such as foil or embossing, restrained design, and a smart way to budget the run.
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Business card paper & finishes · 6 MIN READ
Embossed business cards vs raised foil: which raised finish to choose
Embossed business cards press paper into relief with dies; raised foil builds a layer on top. Compare feel, back side, detail, stock and artwork setup.
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Business card paper & finishes · 5 MIN READ
Plastic business cards: clear, frosted and white options explained
Plastic business cards survive water, wallets and workshops. Compare clear, frosted and white plastic, learn how white ink works, and design one that reads.
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Business card paper & finishes · 5 MIN READ
Kraft business cards: how to design for brown paper that prints well
Kraft business cards give a natural, handmade feel. Learn how ink behaves on brown paper, which colors work, who kraft suits and how to match your packaging.
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Business card paper & finishes · 5 MIN READ
Painted edge business cards: choosing color, stock and design
Painted edge business cards add a stripe of color around a thick card. Learn how they are made, which stocks work, how to pick an edge color and what to expect.
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