💡Learn how to choose the right finish for your product packaging
• What is Matte Lamination?
• What is Gloss Lamination?
• A Comparison of Lamination Benefits
• Which one is right for you?
Laminations are not necessarily discussed in detail before having to finalize packaging designs.
Sometimes this results in making rash decisions that do not necessarily benefit your packaging, products or branding.
In essence, lamination makes the product ‘ready’ to be put into the hands of consumers.
Making sure your lamination or coating choice is compatible with your artwork designs and colors will be crucial to the final design of your packaging.
Whether it applies to the surface of a paper bag, book cover, label, or product packaging, lamination always highlights the visuals and tactile feel of the product.
Better yet, it also serves as a protective layer to resist scratches and unexpected scuff marks to your design.
While there are an array of laminate options out there, the first step to making your decision is choosing Matte or Gloss Lamination.
This narrows down your laminate options to make your final decision an easy one.
What is Matte Lamination?
The easiest way to see matte lamination is to observe the way light reflects off of the surface.
Matte lamination reflects very little or almost no light at all leaving a very flat and burred look to the surface.
Matte lamination also feels almost soft to the touch making it an excellent option for packaging that intends to be a more interactive experience.
When looking at matte lamination on a sample or prototype, for example, it’s important to take note of the way the colors appear.
Matte lamination can flatten colors making them look a little more muted with a more shallow depth of color.
It’s often used for luxury packaging to portray a modern and sophisticated look and feel.
What is Gloss Lamination?
In contrast to matte lamination, the gloss has a lustrous quality as light bounces off the surface. Therefore the effect is that of vibrancy, better image contrast, and more vibrant depth of color.
Gloss laminated bags and magazines draw attention to themselves; in this respect, they can be viewed as flashy to their subdued matte counterparts.
For this reason, they may lend themselves well to brochures, cover photos, perfume boxes, and book spines.
Gloss lamination can refine a product differently from matte lamination.
If your brand is trying to communicate a brighter and more youthful feel, gloss lamination is probably your ideal choice.
Gloss lamination enhances and brightens your colors making them come across much more defined and detailed.
A Comparison of Benefits
| Comparison Point | Matte Lamination | Gloss Lamination |
| Appearance | Lush, soft, low-key, higher perceived quality | Shiny, dynamic, high-impact, higher perceived quality |
| Protection | Scratches and scuffs are less visible on the film lamination | Resists fingerprints, dust and dirt Grime and smudges can be wiped easily off a gloss laminate surface Scratches, indents and imperfections are more visible on glossy surfaces |
| Receptive to Ink | You can write over a matte laminate label or menu card | A glossy substrate is a difficult substrate to write over |
| Glare | Matte lamination doesn’t produce any glare | The glare from the lamination can pose a problem in research posters However, if poster sessions are lit by lights placed up high above the posters, then glare is leveled towards the floor and doesn’t cause any readability issues. |
Which one is right for you?
The answer to ‘which one is better’ must be prefaced by ‘what will the lamination be used for?’ to make an informed choice.
As discussed above, each has its pros and cons; depending on the application, the drawbacks may not matter or be minor for you.
In fact, you can consider the ‘best of both worlds’ scenario.
For instance, applying a matte laminate over a glossy label can make barcode scanning easier and allow users to handwrite over it when such a need arises.
Some may view matte lamination as boring. However, adding glossy lamination over a matte label can provide a lustrous patina and a more intricate look to your packaging.
Laminations and coatings are a great way to put that cherry on top of any packaging design, and with a wide range of options, you can create the perfect look and feel.
3 comments
Nothing like starting off my day reading and learning about something cool. Your blog post accentuated my breakfast perfectly! Thank you 🙂
You’re very welcome!
An amazing article. It’s nice to read a quality blog post. I think you made some good points in this post.In essence, lamination makes the product ‘ready’ to be put into the hands of consumers. You can consider two types of lamination: Matte and Gloss.