Letterpress Business Cards

Overview: Letterpress Business Cards

Letterpress Business Cards are designed for brands that value depth, restraint, and tactile precision over color-driven decoration. At OddPlanPrint, our letterpress cards are produced exclusively using blind letterpress, meaning no colored inks are pressed into the paper. Instead, the design is deeply pressed into premium cotton stock, creating a sculptural impression that relies on shadow, depth, and negative space rather than ink.

Printed on substantial 45pt (approximately 750 gsm) cotton paper, these cards deliver a quiet yet powerful presence during face-to-face introductions. The deep, inkless impression creates clarity and legibility through pressure alone, making blind letterpress ideal for minimalist logos, refined typography, and brands that communicate confidence without visual noise. FREE worldwide shipping is included with every order.

Letterpress business cards are particularly suited for creative directors, architects, consultants, luxury service providers, boutique brands, galleries, hospitality professionals, and executives in industries such as real estate, law, finance, and design - where understatement and material quality speak louder than color.

Important:
All letterpress options offered by OddPlanPrint are blind letterpress only. We do not offer colored or inked letterpress to avoid confusion with embossing or flat ink printing. This ensures a consistent, intentional aesthetic focused purely on depth and tactility.

Specs

• Stock : Cotton Paper
  
• Thickness : 45pt (approx. 750 gsm, ~1.14 mm)
  
• Dimensions : 89 x 51 mm (3.5 x 2 in); Custom sizes available upon request
  
• Printing Methods : Blind Letterpress, Black Printing, Textured gloss spot
  
• Turnaround : typically 1-3 business days (excluding additional finishing)
  
• Free Global Shipping : typically 3-7 business days (varies by destination)

Available Printing Options and Combinations

To maintain clarity and avoid misleading expectations, our letterpress cards are offered in the following precisely defined combinations :

• (Front only) Blind Letterpress
  
• (Front only) Blind Letterpress + Black Printing
  
• (Front only) Blind Letterpress + Textured Gloss Spot
  
• (Front only) Black Printing + Textured Gloss Spot
  
• (Front) Blind Letterpress + (Back) Black Printing
  
• (Front) Black Printing + (Back) Textured Gloss Spot

Printing Options Explained

(Front only) Blind Letterpress :

Blind Letterpress is a pressure-based printing method that presses the design deeply into cotton paper without ink or coating.

The design becomes visible through depth, shadow, and compressed paper structure, not through surface build-up or shine.

• No ink, no gloss, no coating
  
• Strong definition created by deep pressing
  
• Works best with minimal logos and negative space
  
• Heavy pressure may leave a faint mark on the reverse side

Best for : minimal brands, refined typography, understated luxury.

(Front only) Blind Letterpress + Black Printing :

This option combines blind letterpress pressing with flat black ink printing.

• Letterpress defines form through depth
• Black printing provides contrast and readability
• No surface coating or special finish involved
• Clean, traditional, and easy to read

Best for : logos that need clarity without decorative effects.

(Front only) Blind Letterpress + Textured Gloss Spot :

This option combines deep letterpress pressing with a separate tactile gloss process.

Each technique remains visually distinct :

• Letterpress creates depth in the paper
• Textured gloss spot adds a glossy, touchable surface element

Best for : designs that need hierarchy without using emboss.

(Front only) Black Printing + Textured Gloss Spot :

A non-letterpress option focused on clarity and texture.

• Black ink defines the design
• Textured gloss spot adds tactile contrast
• No heavy pressure applied to the paper
• Reverse side remains clean

Best for : modern, graphic-forward layouts.

(Front) Blind Letterpress + (Back) Black Printing :

Designed for functional separation.

• Front : blind letterpress only
• Back : black ink only
• No coating, no gloss
• Clear information hierarchy

(Front) Black Printing + (Back) Textured Gloss Spot :

Designed to keep the front clean and the back expressive.

• Front : flat black printing
• Back : textured gloss spot
• No reverse-side marks from pressure

What Textured Gloss Spot Is

(And why it is not Spot UV)

Textured Gloss Spot is not spot UV.

Spot UV is a smooth coating cured under UV light, resulting in an even, glass-like surface.

Textured Gloss Spot is produced using a handcrafted process :

• Semi-transparent ink is applied
• Natural resin powder is dusted by hand
• Heat is used to cure the surface

The result is a textured, glossy finish with visible grain and variation.

Key Characteristics

• More dimensional than standard spot UV
• Noticeable texture rather than smooth coating
• Subtle reflection, not plastic-like shine
• No visible effect on the reverse side

Technique Comparisons

Textured Gloss Spot vs Emboss :

Emboss

• Very clean and precise surface shape
• Allows stronger definition
• Leaves a visible mark on the back side

Textured Gloss Spot

• Softer and more organic surface character
• Visible texture and gloss
• Does not affect the reverse side

Choose textured gloss spot when reverse-side cleanliness matters.

Textured Gloss Spot vs Spot UV :

Spot UV

• Smooth, even coating
• Visually glossy but flat in feel

Textured Gloss Spot

• More dimensional surface presence
• Handcrafted texture and variation
• Intentionally not uniform

Choose textured gloss spot when tactile character matters more than perfect smoothness.

Blind Letterpress vs Deboss :

Blind Letterpress

• Much deeper pressing
• Stronger shadow definition
• Better legibility without ink
• May leave a faint reverse-side mark

Deboss

• Shallower pressing
• Cleaner back side
• Less visual depth

Choose blind letterpress when clarity and depth are more important than a perfectly flat back.

How It Works

For customers with a design file :
Upload your vector artwork (AI preferred; high-resolution PDF or 300 dpi PNG acceptable if vectors are preserved). We perform professional preflight and send a digital proof for approval. Production begins after approval (typically 1-3 business days). Free global shipping follows (typically 3-7 business days, destination dependent).

For customers without a design file (free design included) :
No artwork? We create the layout for you at no charge, based on your logo/name, brand colors, and references. You receive a digital proof and we make minor refinements if needed. Production begins after approval (typically 1-3 business days). Free global shipping follows (typically 3-7 business days, destination dependent).

File Preparation

We can accept almost any type of high-quality artwork, but vector graphics with fonts converted to outlines is our absolute favorite way to receive artwork.
This is typically a file made in Adobe Illustrator and saved as AI file format.

Minimum font size is 6.5pt, and minimum line weight is 0.25pt.
Vector files (AI) are required (with outlined fonts)

We primarily accept vector AI files with outlined fonts. For preview purposes, you may also upload a high-resolution PDF (vector preserved) or a 300 dpi PNG. Please ensure all placed elements are embedded.

Quality and Remake

Every order includes a professional file check and a digital proof to ensure print-ready artwork and consistent results. If an issue falls outside normal production tolerances, we will remake or offer an appropriate remedy.

FREE Design Service

It's okay if you don't have a design file. Please look at our portfolio and tell us what you want. If you look at our portfolio and tell us what you want, we will make a digital proof and show it to you.

Digital proof provided before production; simple layout assistance included.