Choosing the right imprint process for maximum impact

Promotional products, which are an integral element of marketing and advertising today, have a history of over a hundred years. Calendars and congratulatory letters with only text were printed using a technique called foil stamping and handed out to customers and prospects. With the advent of time, company logos became more colorful and graphic and the need to use them in promotional products brought about the use of techniques like silk screening. 

Today, different technologies and techniques are used to print on promotional material, depending on the type of products involved and the overall goals of the advertising campaign. Some of these techniques are:

Screen Printing: Screen printing is the most cost-effective option and uses premixed inks and a screen to transfer the design onto the product. It is used for printing on bottles, pens, smooth surfaced balls, tote bags, pens and appliances like water coolers. 

Digital Printing: Digital printing also known as CMYK or full-color printing, color burst or 4-color process printing offers a larger range of colors to print logos. This process uses printing machines instead of screens. Digital printing is used for printing colorful stationery like books and notepads, fridge magnets and mouse pads. 

Heat Transfer: This process is an age-old technique that uses heat to press ink onto the product. It is an effective process for printing multi-colored logos and is used for printing tote bags and apparels like t-shirts.

Laser Engraving: A design is loaded onto software in the engraving machine. Then using the laser beam the design is etched on to the product. This technique is ideal for engraving on metal, glass, or wood and is also used on elegant gifts.

 

Debossing/Embossing: This method engages a combination of heat, pressure and a metal screen to imprint the design on the product and is the most preferred method for leather and vinyl products, chocolates and some varieties of thick fabric.

 

Embroidery: The vibrant colors of a logo or design are best reproduced using embroidering machines, and is the ideal option for apparel and hosiery products like shirts, blankets and towels. 

Foil Stamping: Foil stamping is used when a shiny metallic look is required in the design. This is also the best option when the design has to be customized every time, like the name of a person to be added in the design. 

Lithography or Offset printing,: This is the most favored method when large numbers of prints are required on paper based products like calendars, books and posters. 

Laser Printing: The technology used in this process is similar to that of photocopiers and this is the most preferred option for printing on paper and other substrates. Laser printing offers a better color rendering and is a quick and cost-effective process. This method is used for printing posters, pamphlets, newspapers and billboard contents. 

Pad Printing: Pad Printing is used for printing on irregular surfaces. This imprint method uses a silicone based rubber pad, ink and a hard polymer or steel screen to imprint the design on products like golf balls, liqueur glasses, squeegees, key tags and key chains, calculators, technical and musical instruments,  picture frames, etc. 

Color Filled Debossing: In this technique, a silk screen ink or foil is used, to transfer the design onto the product. It is popular for printing on vinyl based products. 

Silk Screening: Is used for printing colorful and complex designs on a variety of fabrics. 

Dye Sublimation: Naturally occurring dyes are sublimated on to intermediary products like plastic cards or printer paper. Using a heat press, the design is transferred from the intermediary product onto products like apparels, ceramic, metals and other materials.