Soft touch lamination is a finishing technique that gives a luxurious feel to your printed products. That’s why it is the best option for high-end designs with striking results and a premium look and feel.
Soft touch lamination is widely used in luxury or high-end packaging. It enhanced the tactile and visual appeal of the printed products with a velvety texture. The finishing technique finds its use to add a premium touch to printed boxes, brochures, labels, business cards, and book covers.
The best part? This lamination adds a layer of protection to prints.
Want to know more about this finishing method? Stay here. This blog will discuss what soft touch lamination is, from its benefits to a comparison to other finishing options. Keep reading!
Soft touch lamination in packaging is actually a finishing technique in which a special touch lamination is applied to printed materials. It offers a soft, suede-like texture. That is why it totally feels different from matte or gloss lamination.
Also, soft touch finishes reduce glare and provide a premium look. What’s more? It is used for luxury packaging, marketing materials, and high-end business labels. The premium finish offers them a unique and tactile feel.
Additionally, it acts as a moisture barrier. So extend the shelf life of your printed products, too. Its cost effectiveness is also a factor that makes it one of the most popular finishing options. Soft touch lamination works well with UV light curing. It allows fast drying. Plus, it can be used with window patching. It enhances product fact sheets.
Soft touch lamination is widely used in the packaging and printing industry. So it helps to add a tactile and velvety look to printed products. The main purpose of this finish is to increase the perceived value of your custom rigid boxes while also offering durability and strength. The key uses of soft touch lamination are:
All these uses clearly show that the soft-touch lamination is perfect for premium brands and luxury services. For instance, when you add soft touch lamination to business card boxes, it increases their overall appeal and feel.
Soft touch lamination comes in variations based on film types like PU and PET, added features, such as anti-scratch, and some specific films like BOPP. Let’s discuss them in detail:
Polyurethane soft touch is the most common and premium type of soft touch lamination. It offers a velvety, durable, and luxurious feel. This soft touch laminate printing is available in a variety of thicknesses. It can be Matt, too.
PET soft touch laminate looks like PU but is cost-effective and durable. It is often used as a base film for luxury gift boxes.
Bi-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) is a popular film base for soft-touch finishes. Also, it provides excellent clarity and surface feel.
Nylon soft touch is the best for high-end applications like book covers. It offers durability and a smooth, lay-flat finish. Hence, it resists curling. For example, it is widely used for luxury mailer boxes.
This type of soft touch lamination adds enhanced properties. Hence, it resists scratches, scuffs, and fingerprint resistance. So, it is perfect for frequently used items, such as electronic cases.
It features a slightly textured surface for better grip. Hence, it is ideal for products needing enhanced handling.
Below are the 5 simple steps on how soft lamination works.
The printed paper or board is checked and prepared. Sometimes the surface is treated slightly to help the laminate stick better. For example, first check the luxury cosmetic boxes and make them ready for adding the soft touch lamination.
The soft-touch film is rolled out carefully. It is placed directly on top of the printed sheet.
A special adhesive is added between the paper and the film. Heated rollers press them together to form a tight bond.
The sheet moves under UV light. This hardens the adhesive and fixes the film in place.
The laminated sheet is allowed to cool. It is then cut to size, leaving a smooth, soft finish.
Soft touch lamination improves tactile quality and brand perception. It adds a velvet-like matte surface. It reduces glare by almost 90%, increases scratch resistance by 30–40%, and enhances perceived product value in e-commerce packaging, business cards, and book covers.
Here are the key benefits of soft touch:
In short, soft touch lamination turns simple cardboard boxes into premium packaging with its tactile feel. It also improves customer experience. Because they don’t get their products in dull packaging. Instead, the soft touch finish adds a luxurious touch even to simple boxes.
Soft touch lamination increases cost and limits post-print processing. It costs 20–50% more than gloss or matte lamination, shows oil stains on frequent handling, and reduces adhesion for foil stamping and UV spot coatings.
Here are the key drawbacks of using soft touch lamination:
For example, when you add soft touch laminate sheets to electronics packaging boxes, it increases their per-unit cost. That’s why it is not a good option to add this premium coating for low-end products.
Have a look at the table below to understand the key differences between soft touch lamination and other lamination types.
| Lamination Types | Texture / Feel | Durability | Appearance | Cost | Ideal Use |
| Soft Touch Lamination | Velvety, smooth | Medium | Matte, elegant | High | Premium packaging, cards |
| Gloss Lamination | Shiny, smooth | High | Bright, reflective | Medium | Magazines, brochures |
| Matte Lamination | Smooth, flat | Medium | Soft, non-reflective | Medium | Flyers, posters |
| UV Coating | Smooth, hard | Very high | Glossy shine | High | Covers, packaging |
| Textured Lamination | Rough, patterned | Medium | Unique texture | High | Luxury items, invitations |
Both soft touch lamination and soft-touch coating offer a similar smooth texture. However, they differ in durability and application as follows:
| Features | Soft Touch Lamination | Soft Touch Coating |
| Application | Thin film over printed material | Liquid coating spread and cured |
| Texture / Feel | Smooth, velvety | Smooth, velvety |
| Durability | More durable, scratch-resistant | Less durable |
| Cost | Higher | Lower |
| Flexibility | Best for rigid materials | Works better for flexible materials |
| Longevity | Longer-lasting | Shorter-lasting |
Soft touch lamination fits brands that desire a luxurious feel. It suits companies in the realm of exclusivity and luxury presentation. It is a great option whenever you want packaging that is distinct in both appearance and touch.
Now that you know what soft touch lamination is. Printed products become soft and touchable with soft touch lamination. It gives packaging a luxurious look. It appears on business cards, brochures, labels, book covers, and gift boxes. This coating is a guard to the print, lessens glare, and increases longevity.
They are of type: PU, PET, BOPP, nylon, anti-scratch, and anti-slip. To make a permanent finish, a fine film, an adhesive, UV curing, and cooling are used in the process.
Soft touch lamination is applicable when using rigid materials and premium-priced brands. It improves the appearance, touch, and experience of the customers. Shop Rigid Boxes offers this premium packaging solution. So get in touch with us right away to add a luxurious feel to your products.
Soft touch lamination is often called Cello touch. It offers a protective finish with a matt effect. It also gives a soft and velvet-like texture. This provides a premium finish that grabs the attention of the onlookers in just 2-3 seconds.
Soft touch lamination is different from matt lamination. Because it gives a softer and smoother, and velvet-like finish. Soft touch lamination is the best for adding a premium and high-end feel to your products. While matte lamination is soft but non-reflective. It is best for flyers and posters.
The main 3 types of laminations are: Matt, gloss, and soft touch lamination.
Soft touch lamination is a popular finishing method that enhances the overall feel and appeal of your printed products, such as boxes. The boxes with soft-touch lamination are called soft touch boxes.
It depends on the material used for soft touch lamination. Some soft-touch films are recyclable. While other soft touch films or sheets are not recyclable. So, it depends on the type of material used for lamination.
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