The decision in one paragraph: laminate anything that gets handled repeatedly, skip it on anything you print in the thousands and hand out once. Glossy lamination is the cheapest and makes colours pop, but it shows fingerprints and cannot be written on. Matt lamination costs a little more, reads as more considered, and is the only sensible base for spot UV. Soft-touch (velvet) lamination is the premium option and the one people remember by feel. On 1,000 business cards in Dubai, that ladder runs AED 89.00 unlaminated, AED 139.00 glossy, AED 170.00 matt, and up to AED 420.00 for velvet at 760 microns. Below is where each one belongs across cards, flyers, brochures and packaging.
What lamination actually does
Lamination is a thin plastic film bonded to the printed sheet under heat and pressure. It is not a varnish and not a coating in the ink sense — it is a separate layer. That layer does four measurable things: it stops the surface abrading, it makes the sheet water-resistant, it adds stiffness, and it changes how light leaves the page.
The stiffness point is underrated. A 350 gsm card laminated on both sides behaves like a noticeably heavier stock than the same 350 gsm unlaminated. If a card feels flimsy, lamination often fixes it more cheaply than moving up a paper weight.
The optical point is the one people argue about. Glossy film reflects light specularly, so blacks look deeper and saturated colours look stronger. Matt film scatters light, so the same file prints visually lighter and lower in contrast — particularly dark, ink-heavy backgrounds. If your design depends on a rich black, expect matt to soften it, and either accept that or build a richer black in the file.
The four options compared
| No lamination | Glossy | Matt | Soft-touch / velvet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colour impact | Flat, slightly absorbed | Highest saturation | Softer, lower contrast | Softest, most muted |
| Fingerprints | Not visible | Very visible on dark areas | Slight | Visible on dark areas |
| Writable | Yes, any pen | No | Only with permanent marker | No |
| Scratch & water | Poor | Good | Good; scuffs show on dark | Good; scuffs show most |
| Takes spot UV | No | Pointless — no contrast | Yes — the standard base | Yes — strongest contrast |
| Cost per 1,000 cards | AED 89.00 | AED 139.00 | AED 170.00 | from AED 420.00 (760 mic) |
Real prices across formats
All prices are live product-page prices, VAT included. Design is free with every order.
Business cards
| Specification | Quantity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Art paper, no lamination | 1,000 | AED 89.00 |
| Glossy lamination | 1,000 | AED 139.00 |
| Glossy lamination + round corners | 1,000 | AED 159.00 |
| Matt lamination, 350 gsm | 1,000 | AED 170.00 |
| Matt lamination, 350 gsm | 500 | from AED 99.00 |
| Glossy lamination, 400 gsm + round corners | 1,000 | AED 290.00 |
| PET glossy laminated, 760 mic — thick | 1,000 | AED 289.00 |
| Velvet (soft-touch) + spot UV, 760 mic | 1,000 | AED 420.00 |
| Velvet + gold foil + spot UV, 760 mic | 1,000 | AED 590.00 |
Flyers — where paper weight replaces lamination
Flyers are the clearest case for not laminating. They are printed in volume, handled once, and often recycled the same day, so the money is better spent on paper weight and size. These are the live prices per 1,000:
| Flyer | Paper | Price per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| A6 (148.5 × 105 mm), 2 sides | 100 gsm wood-free | from AED 85.00 |
| A6, 2 sides | 135 gsm glossy | from AED 90.00 |
| A5 (148.5 × 210 mm), 2 sides | 100 gsm wood-free | from AED 105.00 |
| A5, 2 sides | 135 gsm glossy | from AED 120.00 |
| A5 | 170 gsm glossy | AED 270.00 |
| A4 (297 × 210 mm), 2 sides | 100 gsm wood-free | from AED 165.00 |
| A4, 2 sides | 135 gsm glossy | from AED 210.00 |
| DL (96.7 × 200 mm), 2 sides | 100 gsm wood-free | from AED 110.00 |
Notice that moving an A5 flyer from 100 gsm wood-free to 135 gsm glossy costs about AED 15 per 1,000. That is a far better use of AED 15 than any surface treatment on a flyer. Browse the full flyer printing range.
Brochures and catalogues — laminate the cover only
On a stitched or bound brochure, the standard is to laminate the cover and leave the inner pages uncoated. The cover takes all the handling; the inner pages need to stay flexible and take ink without curling. Cover lamination also stops the spine area cracking on a folded piece.
Live brochure prices per 1,000: A4 on 100 gsm wood-free from AED 475.00, A4 on 170 gsm glossy from AED 610.00, and B4 on 170 gsm glossy from AED 650.00. See the brochure printing collection for every size and weight.
When to skip lamination entirely
- Anything that gets written on. Appointment cards, loyalty cards with punch spaces, invoice pads, feedback forms. Laminated stock rejects ballpoint and gel pens. Unlaminated art paper cards at AED 89.00 per 1,000 are the right product here.
- High-volume flyers and leaflets. Spend on GSM or size instead — the reader will register weight before finish.
- Anything going into a recycling stream you care about. Laminated sheets are harder to recycle than plain coated paper, which matters for tenders and for organisations with reporting commitments.
- Very short runs where budget is tight. Lamination is a separate pass; on small quantities it is a meaningful share of the total.
Four mistakes that cost real money
- Spot UV on a glossy laminate. The whole effect is gloss sitting on matt. Put it on gloss and you have paid for something invisible. Always specify matt or velvet underneath.
- Large solid dark areas on matt or velvet. Both show scuffs and fingerprints on heavy dark coverage, and matt lifts blacks visually. If your card is 100% black on one side, prefer glossy or accept the marks.
- Single-sided lamination on a card. Film on one side only makes the sheet curl as humidity changes — and in the UAE the swing between an air-conditioned office and outdoors is significant. Laminate both sides.
- Not adjusting artwork for matt. If a design was approved on screen and printed matt, expect it to read 5–10% lighter than expected. Build a rich black rather than 100% K, and push saturation slightly.
File setup is the same regardless of finish: CMYK, 300 dpi at final size, 3 mm bleed, fonts outlined, critical content 4 mm inside the trim. If you do not have print-ready files, design is free with every order via the free design service.
How to order
- Choose the product and finish from the business card, flyer or brochure collections — or send a photo of a finish you like on WhatsApp and we will match it.
- Upload artwork or request the free design service.
- Approve the digital proof. If you are undecided between matt and glossy, ask for physical samples — the difference is genuinely hard to judge on screen.
- Production is 3–5 working days after approval. Delivery is free over AED 800 across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Al Ain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain.
Frequently asked questions
Is matt or glossy lamination better for business cards?
Matt for professional services, anything premium, and any card that will carry spot UV. Glossy for photography, food, retail and any design that depends on saturated colour. On 1,000 cards the difference is AED 139.00 glossy versus AED 170.00 matt.
What is soft-touch lamination?
Soft-touch, also called velvet lamination, is a suede-like matt film that removes reflection and gives a distinctive tactile surface. In our range it comes on 760-micron thick card, from AED 420.00 per 1,000 with spot UV.
Does lamination make a card thicker?
Marginally in microns, but noticeably in stiffness — a laminated 350 gsm card feels heavier than an unlaminated one of the same weight. For real thickness, the 760-micron PET and velvet cards are the step up, from AED 289.00 per 1,000.
Can you write on laminated cards?
Not with a normal ballpoint or gel pen. If people need to write on the card — appointment cards, loyalty stamps, notes — use unlaminated art paper cards at AED 89.00 per 1,000.
Should I laminate flyers?
Usually not. Flyers are handled once, so the budget is better spent on paper weight. Moving an A5 flyer from 100 gsm wood-free to 135 gsm glossy costs roughly AED 15 more per 1,000 and does more for perceived quality.
Why does my matt-laminated print look duller than the proof?
Matt film scatters light, so dark and saturated areas lose a few percent of apparent contrast. It is normal and predictable. Build a rich black instead of 100% K and slightly increase saturation on key colours if it matters to the design.
Do you laminate brochure inner pages?
Standard practice is cover only. Inner pages stay uncoated so they fold and turn properly, and the cover carries the protection. Brochures start from AED 475.00 per 1,000 for A4 on 100 gsm wood-free.
Get samples or a quote
If you are choosing between finishes, handling them beats reading about them. Visit 32 Sheikh Zayed Road, Office 706, Dubai — open 09:00–21:00 daily, closed Sunday — or message WhatsApp +971 52 210 0909 and call 0522100909 for a same-day quote. Start with the business card printing collection.
Related reading: matte vs glossy business cards and choosing print finishing for marketing materials.
