What is Spot UV?

What is Spot UV

If you are placing orders for printed materials, you have likely seen Spot UV as an option, but you may have found yourself wondering what exactly is Spot UV? Let’s go over the process and why it’s important.

Spot UV (also called Spot Gloss or Spot Varnish) involves a clear, shiny coating that is applied to specific areas of artwork or other printed materials to give it an eye-catching contrast. Spot UV can elevate your business cards or brochures and take them to the next level. It can be applied to the entire printed material, but it is most commonly used as its name reflects, in spots.

Many times, a spot is chosen that a customer wants to elevate or have stood out from the rest of the material and that is treated with Spot UV.  Because the Spot UV technique creates such a  distinctive look, it is most often used on pieces that are promotional, for example, brochures and presentation folders. It is also a popular choice for high-impact business cards and book covers.

What is UV coating?

UV coating is the application of a clear-coat finish on printed material. This varnish can be applied to plain white cardstock but is often applied to coat colour printed paper products. It seals in the colour and adds shine and depth to the design.

How does it work?

For standard UV coating, sheets are fed via machines with rollers that flood the sheet with a UV coating. After application, the sheet is fed under Infra-Red and UV lamps to dry it instantly. For the spot process, the UV varnish is then spread across a die-cut template, typically a thin film that is placed over the sheet in order to make sure that only the appropriate elements of the design are coated to create the desired contrast effect. Once the varnish is dry, it provides a hardy coating.

Why is it special?

Your first impression is everything in business and you always want to find ways to make sure that people that you meet remember you, it can help with that. It is the ultimate deluxe printing technique and provides a unique and luxurious way to introduce yourself and leave a lasting impression.

Benefits of Spot UV printing

Spot UV printing provides many benefits, including:

• Ultimate shine
• Environmentally-friendly printing method
• Smudge resistant
• High clarity and quality
• Leave a lasting impression and stand out from the crowd
• Make use of negative space like the back of business cards

What kinds of materials can I use Spot UV printing on?

• Business cards
• Postcards
• Presentation folders
• Greeting cards
• Hangtags
• Trading cards
• Brochures and marketing materials

If you have any additional questions about it or would like to use Spot UV on any upcoming projects or materials, please feel free to reach out to us today. We are more than happy to help you with all of your printing needs!