A business card is one of the few pieces of marketing someone physically holds, so the stock matters as much as the design. Three families cover almost every job we print: coated silk, laminated matt, and uncoated kraft or pulp boards.

350gsm silk — the everyday workhorse

Silk stock has a light coating that sits between gloss and matt. Colour sits crisply on the surface rather than soaking in, so photography and strong brand colours look punchy. At 350gsm the card is stiff enough to feel professional without being a brick, and it is the cheapest of the three per box.

Choose silk when you use full-colour imagery, print a lot of cards, or want the best value. Avoid it if people need to write on the card — pen ink sits on the coating and smudges.

400gsm matt laminated — the premium default

A matt laminate is a thin plastic film bonded over the printed board. It adds around 30 microns of thickness, kills glare completely and makes dark colours look deeper and more expensive. It also protects the edges: unlaminated dark cards scuff white at the corners within a week in a wallet.

The trade-off is subtlety. Matt lamination slightly mutes bright colours, so a neon orange will land a shade calmer than it appears on screen. If your brand relies on vivid colour, ask for a gloss or soft-touch laminate instead.

400gsm kraft — the tactile option

Kraft is an uncoated recycled board with a visible fibre and a warm brown tone. Ink soaks in, so everything prints softer and darker: think 15 to 20 per cent knock-down in vibrancy. That is a feature, not a fault — it is what gives kraft its handmade character.

Kraft suits makers, cafes, florists, barbers and anyone whose brand leans natural. It is also the only one of the three you can comfortably write on. Do not use kraft for photographic designs or fine light-coloured type; both disappear into the fibre.

How to decide in thirty seconds

  • Photography or bold colour, tight budget: 350gsm silk.
  • Dark or minimal design, premium feel: 400gsm matt laminated.
  • Natural, handmade or sustainable brand: 400gsm kraft.
  • Need extra impact: consider a folded card, which doubles your printable area and stands up on a counter.

Before you upload

Whichever stock you pick, set your artwork to 85 x 55mm with 3mm bleed, keep text 4mm inside the trim, and supply CMYK at 300dpi. Rich black on dark cards should be built as C40 M30 Y30 K100 rather than K100 alone — flat black looks grey once it is laminated.