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When you’re printing materials for your business — brochures, flyers, business cards — the devil is in the details. Yes, a great design and informative copy can go a long way, but you must also consider the little things: are the colours attractive enough to catch the eye? Do your font choices convey the company image appropriately? And, perhaps most importantly, are you using the right kind of paper?
This final question is especially important when it comes time to print your business cards. Your cards should be durable, legible, and attractive — and achieving that goal means choosing the right paper type.
Your business card is essentially your emissary in the business world. This little card is the key to making a lasting impression in your industry, helping you build relationships with new clients, score promotions or better jobs with other companies, or simply get your name out there for colleagues to see.
What kind of impression will you make on your colleagues, clients, and others? The answer depends entirely on the type of card you have. Your business card should be small enough to fit comfortably enough in a wallet slot (85 mm wide and 55 mm high is the standard in the UK), durable enough to outlast spills or careless handling, and luxuriant enough to give it — and you — an air of professionalism and sophistication.
Printing a business card that meets this criteria is possible… as long as you print them on paper that’s right for the job.
There is no one specific brand or paper type that’s considered the official paper for business cards. High quality business card paper can be any style or any brand — provided it meets certain requirements. Here are the things you should be looking for when you select your business card paper.
Most business cards are printed on 14 Pt cardstock, which is a thicker and more durable form of paper than the stuff you might have in your home printer. However, there are variations between different types of cardstock, most of which come down to the paper’s weight.
In the printing world, a paper’s “weight” determines how thick and durable it is. Weight is measured in grams per square meter (GSM); paper with a higher GSM tends to be thicker and less flexible — in other words, great paper for business cards.
Most professionals print their business cards on 300 GSM paper. This paper is 14 Pt, or 0.014 inches thick, which makes it feel “weighty” and durable, but still gives it a little give and flexibility. However, the best paper for business cards is 400 to 450 GSM. The thickness of this paper makes the card — and by extension, your company — feel especially classy.
Whether you’re printing on 300 GSM cardstock or another type of paper, you also need to consider the finish you’re putting over the paper. This finish will take your cards to the next level, either adding special details to highlight different parts of your copy (for example, your logo or your phone number) or simply giving your card an extra feel of luxury and refinement.
These are most common for business cards today. The matte coating gives your card a smoother feel (similar to plastic), which makes the card feel more expensive and luxuriant. The finish also reduces glare, which means customers can read your card no matter where they are.
However, if you want a card that’s going to last a long time, a Glossy Finish might be better for your business. Gloss is a more protective coating than the matte finish, and as such your card is likely to be more durable with this finish type. Gloss is also particularly great for colorful cards, as it makes the hues appear more vibrant.
Thisis a method that combines the best of both finishing worlds. In spot UV coating, printers apply a UV-cured glossy coating to specific parts of the business card, like your logo or specific words you want to highlight. This coating creates a glossy, raised section of the card, which is sure to stand out from the rest of your card. You can put spot UV coating over a matte finish to create a card that feels elegant and looks high-quality.
We would be remiss if we didn’t point out that the suggestions above are just that: suggestions. Business cards serve different purposes from one job to the next (although their primary purpose — introducing a worker and a company to others — is the same). This means that different industries might have different requirements for their business cards.
Do you work in the medical field? You might want to opt for 400 GSM paper and no finish at all: the thick paper won’t tear over time, and the lack of coating makes it easier to write appointment times on the card itself.
Are you in the graphic design business? A glossy finish and a slightly lighter paper might be a great way to demonstrate your design abilities on a surface that resembles a magazine page.
The best paper for business cards is the paper that best conveys the message you want to get across. Make sure you consider these details when you choose the paper for your project.
No matter what you do for a living, you can easily print your own great-looking business cards online with Banana Print. We offer 400 and 450 GSM business cards that you can print with a custom template or your very own printed design. Our team will print and ship your cards within 24 hours of placing your order — all for the fixed price of £4.95 per order!
Are you a designer?
Brandly’s Partner Program makes it easy to earn recurring revenue from your clients and ensure your design business is set up for long-term success. Built with ease-of-use and money saving in mind, you’ll be able to provide the best and only free business card ordering solution to your clients. And behind the scenes, you’ll be earning extra income and strengthening your valuable client relationships.
To step up to the next level of growth & achieve an unlimited recurring revenue stream for every business card design you make, join Brandly’s Partner Program >
It’s all about the impression you want to give. It’s about telling your brand’s story.
These tactile marketing tools are made to be passed from one person to another, meaning how they feel is equally as important. That’s why choosing the right paper for your cards can make the world of difference when it comes to leaving a long-lasting impression
While it can be tempting to just choose any card stock and get into the design and printing phases, picking out the right type of card is the first step in creating a professional and memorable business card that won’t just get thrown away.
Here’s everything you need to know before choosing your business card paper type:
When we say weight, this refers to the thickness and stiffness of the card used for your designs. It’s a measurement of how many hundredths of an inch thick a single sheet of the paper is. In business cards, the thickness is expressed by points, where a point is equal to one-thousandth or .001 inches. Paper that is 10pt is 0.01 inches thick, 20pt is 0.02 inches thick, etc. The higher the point number, the thicker and stiffer the paper will be.
Commonly, business cards are printed on 14 or 16pt stock, while extra-thick cards are printed on 18pt or 32pt (sometimes even thicker) stock.
These are the options that you can find in our catalog.
Lightweight 11 to 14 point business cards are often used mainly for display—these are cards you showcase on a desk, hand out at events or staple to marketing collateral. The purpose of these lightweight cards is not to leave a long-lasting impression—these are affordable cards that will wear and tear quite easily.
In contrast, thick cards —30 point business cards and above—are more rigid and can better withstand wear and tear. These are the cards you use to make an impression because they tend to look better, feel better (because of their tactile advantage) and last longer.
It’s important to note that the thicker your card is, the higher your expected cost per card will be.
Wondering what’s the standard size of a business card? Check our quick guide to learn more >
As well as choosing a card stock thickness, you’ll also need to decide on a finish. The finish adds another layer of possibilities for the “look and feel” of your business cards.
The most common finishes are dull, matte and glossy. Which one you choose will depend on what you plan on doing with your cards and the impression you want to give.
Let’s take a closer look at the finishes:
Uncoated: Uncoated paper is non-reflective, similar to printer paper. Uncoated finishes provide more texture than glossy and matte prints, but they don’t have a protective coating which means they can get damaged more easily. Colors on an uncoated business card are more subdued but still come out clear, while the overall aesthetic sends out a more classic and natural vibe than the other finishes. This paper type is ideal if you want to write on your cards, or if you choose to keep your costs down.
Coated: Coated papers are finished with a surface sealant, typically clay, to impart certain qualities to the paper such as shine, weight, and ink absorbency. Coated papers come in several options; the most popular include matte, satin, or glossy.
Coated papers often produce sharper and cleaner printing—especially in photos and fine details—than uncoated papers.
Aside from choosing a card stock and finish, you can also opt to have your business cards printed on specialty papers or with added special laminations (applied after a piece is printed).
Again, which ones you choose will completely depend on the design of your cards and the impression you want to make.
Here are the two most common options.
To see Brandly’s full paper catalog, click here >
Because not all brands are looking to be fancy or elegant, keeping in mind the impression you want to convey is essential when choosing business cards. Think of it this way, brands who choose to be positioned as an affordable solution may purposefully go for a ‘simpler’ design and paper. On the other hand, premium brands might prefer thick or specialized papers.
Want to appear affordable? We recommend the standard business cards.
Want to showcase a premium look and feel? Choose thicker or special paper such as the Premium double-thick business cards, or the Soft-touch business cards.
As previously mentioned, thicker paper is generally the priciest option. But we made it easy for you. Here are Brandly’s business card papers types organized into budget categories.
Low-price business cards
Mid-price business cards
Top-price business cards
Once you’ve got your design sorted out and have chosen the stock and finish you want your business cards to have, it’s time for the final step: printing your cards. There are mainly two ways you can do this.
Print at Home
Printing at home seems like the easiest and most cost-effective option, but the quality just won’t be the same as having them printed by a professional.
Go Pro
Choosing a professional printer means the stock and finish of your business cards will be held to a higher standard, giving your cards a more professional and memorable first impression.
At Brandly, we offer not only great prices, but also high-quality papers, free shipping, and even a free business card ordering platform that holds all your designs in one safe place so you can print more cards with the click of a button. This means all your designs can easily be printed on the same stock and with the same finish, giving them a cohesive and professional look every time. ## How/where to print your business cards
Choosing the right paper type for your business card is not an easy job. But considering the importance of it, we suggest putting effort into making the right choice.
Consider what you’re going to be doing with the business cards and what impression you want to give. And of course—consider your budget.
If they’re going to be placed in a cardholder on the front desk of your building/event or mailed them out in bulk, you can get away with thinner card stock. But if you’re planning to personally hand them out at important events or social meetings, a thicker card stock will last longer and help your cards stand out.
At Brandly, our records indicate that the most popular business card choice is the 16pt premium coated matte option. It conveys a great impression, and it has a great value (quality/cost).
That said, if you’re still struggling to choose the right paper type for your business cards give us a holler. At Brandly, we strive to provide the simplest ordering solution of high-quality business cards, with exceptional service, and at a competitive price.
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