With so many creative options available for marketers and designers to choose from when it comes to print embellishments, we wanted to share the details on all of them so you can make the best choices for your project.

So what is a print embellishment? It is essentially the process of raising or depressing design elements onto something you’re having printed. There are a few exceptions to this, but the point is that you can get creative and make something truly unique.

Let’s look at the benefits of and the different types of print embellishments that will really make you stand out.

The Benefits of Print Embellishments

Print embellishments offer you the ability to deliver a highly competitive look & feel, retain customers, and attract new ones. They help products stand out and can be the differentiating factor that sets your projects apart from competitors, drive higher response rates for direct mail, provide greater shelf appeal for magazines or book covers, and capture an increased share of attention for premium product packaging or labels.

Below we dive into the different types of print embellishments commonly used to make printed products stand out and deliver the results you’re looking for.

Die-Cutting

The great thing about Die-cutting is that it acts a little like a “cookie cutter”. Which means you can have any shape you want made into a die, which is the sharp blade that cuts the shape into the product. Whether it’s the custom shape of the product itself or a cutout, you can get very creative here and make something truly unique.

Digital Foil

One way of adding foil to your print is by applying a “digital foil” which is applied using a special ink instead of using an actual stamp or die to apply it. This can be more cost effective and depending on your design it could fit the aesthetic more accurately as well.

Foil Stamping

Another way of adding foil to your project is by applying it via stamping. This typically requires a special type of die that stamps on the foil. This will produce a textured design that uses the foil to impose a creative expression few other techniques can replicate.

Embossing

You’re likely familiar with embossing which is the process of producing a raised design on the print. This is an amazing way of amplifying a specific look and feel or an easy way to get more attention. The raised texturing is impossible to ignore.

Debossing

This process is the opposite of embossing because instead of a raised design it is actually depressed into the printed surface. What is great about this approach is it can add depth in a unique way that delivers a look and feel other processes cannot.

Laser Cutting

This cutting method is reminiscent of die cutting except instead of a sharp die the process utilizes a laser to cut out the design. You have the option of creative even more intricate designs to cut out of your pages or you can cut them into specific shapes.

Varnishing

For some varnish is considered a coating, and definitively it is, but we wanted to single it out here because not only can it be used as a print embellishment, it also is used as a protection for the printed product. A huge benefit of varnishing your project is that it can protect from scratching or scuffing.

Coatings as Print Embellishments

One of the most creative embellishments you can include in your print work are unique coatings that accentuate and amplify certain elements of your design. Whether it’s highlighting areas of a surface, adding shine or providing moderate texture to your project, coatings are an easy and affordable way to stand out.

Listed below are a few popular coating options brands use when embellishing their print

• Glitter Coating
• Spot UV
• Metallic and Pearlescent Coating
• Aqueous Coating

In conclusion, if you are looking for the best way to stand out from the crowd then implementing unique and creative embellishments on your printed projects will deliver the results you’re hoping to achieve. Here at Qualprint we like to think of ourselves as embellishment experts, so give us a call to talk more about your idea today and we’ll help bring that project to life and Win The Moment.