Speciality Business Cards

December 28, 2007 3:39 PM

Print shops that will do specialty cut business cards on good paper

I'm in the process of designing my business cards however I'd like to have the ability to get a special cut or paper. I've been searching all over google for print shops that do this but I'd like some recommendations from the hive mind.

Examples of what I'd like a print shop to do would be like this:
example 1
example 2
example 3

and ESPECIALLY something like this:
example

I have a budget, but I'm willing to drop some cash on some special made biz cards. So please give me your suggestions for print shops that will work with you with stuff like this

posted by Hands of Manos to Media & Arts (11 answers total)

Why not contact the maker of the Visual Dialog card? http://www.emletterpress.com/
posted by FlamingBore at 4:06 PM on December 28, 2007

This thread, though not totally related, has some good suggestions for custom made cards. I linked to a store in my comment in the thread that will do custom work and I would still recommend them. The store is called Lunalux, they're in Minneapolis and iirc, they'll ship anywhere, but I cannot guarantee that they'll be inexpensive.
posted by triggerfinger at 4:11 PM on December 28, 2007

Your third card looks like it's letterpress-- designsponge has a really great letterpress guide where you can find great letterpress printers who do high-quality, custom work.
posted by logic vs love at 4:21 PM on December 28, 2007

"Letterpress" and "die-cut" are the operative keywords here.
posted by rhizome at 4:43 PM on December 28, 2007

not sure they're local to you, but I'd say it's safe the folks at Manifesto Letterpress might be worth talking to - I like these they've done...
posted by pupdog at 4:51 PM on December 28, 2007

Any professional print shop (i.e. not Kinkos or the "5000 business cards for $5" shops) will be happy to work with you on a custom card job. They live for fun stuff to come through the door.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:07 PM on December 28, 2007

"Letterpress" and "die-cut" are the operative keywords here.

Exactly.

Most shops will do die-cut -- I think letterpress can be a little harder to find.

I (and many others) have used psprint.com and been satisfied*, although I did not have any die-cut work done. It looks like they have a rounded-corners die-cut package (or apparently, about 59 other templates) for biz-cards that is around $100 for 500 one-sided full color cards. Custom dies add $100 to the cost.

You may want to spend a couple of dollars getting someone who knows something about pre-press to set up the assets for you if you go custom die-cut to make sure there's no big surprises. If you've never done any print work before, you *definitely* want to run your work by someone who's done pre-press.

*Also, you're supporting businesses in dogtown! woo, go oakland go!
posted by fishfucker at 6:35 PM on December 28, 2007

duh, ok, of course you have print experience. but let that last paragraph stand as a warning to all others who dare to tread foot in the world where paints are printed on papers
posted by fishfucker at 6:40 PM on December 28, 2007

I second the recommendation for Lunalux. Excellent work.
posted by cushie at 9:48 PM on December 28, 2007

You want a die-cut card. Most local printers should be able to handle this, but there will be an extra charge as they will have to create the die. Because of this, the up-front charge will be pricey. However, once that die is created, the printer can use it over and over again so your re-orders should cost no more than an average business card.

If you are on a budget, you could always get a hairline printed where you want a cutout, and then go to town with an X-acto knife.
posted by Ostara at 10:32 PM on December 28, 2007

I second PsPrint.com. They can certainly do the perforated style business cards via die cutting.
posted by lubujackson at 10:54 PM on December 28, 2007