What Printing Methods Are Best for Business Cards and Letterhead?

Question: What Printing Methods Are Best for Business Cards and Letterhead?

You can print business cards and letterhead from your desktop inkjet or laser printer but the quality may suffer and it's not cost-effective for large quantities.

Answer: Offset lithography is the most common commercial printing process for the bulk of desktop publishing on paper requiring high volume mass production, including business cards and letterhead. Xerox Docutech digital printing, is another lower-cost option for b&w or color short run projects with a quality comparable to high-quality laser printing.

In addition to offset printing, engraving may be used for fine letterhead. Used for fine wedding invitations and sometimes business cards and letterhead, the raised effect of engraving is similiar in appearance to thermography without the glossy look, but the cost is generally higher. Engraving is a form of intaglio printing.

Thermography is often used in place of the more expensive engraving process to produce raised printing on business cards and letterhead. When considering thermography, get samples from your printer in a variety of ink and paper colors. Thermography has a sometimes undeserved reputation for looking cheap and tacky but when properly done it can be quite attractive.

Less commonly, letterpress may be used for small quantities of business cards and letterhead.

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