How Die-Cutting Can Enhance Your Print

Die-cutting is a process that uses “dies”, which are cookie cutter-like tools, to cut out, emboss, deboss, and add other textured elements to print materials in order to give them a unique touch. This is not only a popular technique for paper design, but has become commonly used on textiles, vinyl, foam, and various other substrates. If you find yourself wanting to add a bit of eye-catching flair to your print using this distinctive print finishing method, here are a few great ways to do so.

Logos

When die-cut media reaches customers for the first time, they are attracted to the specifically highlighted areas automatically. Logos are one of the most important brand elements to bring attention to, making them die-cut. When you use this technique for logo designing, it emphasizes your company logo and makes it all the more easy for consumers to recognize. When your prints’ viewers feel the urge to touch and experience your company logo with their hands, it forms a strong sensory connection to a particular brand.

Immersive Sensory Experience

While the visual aesthetic is an important component of print, the physical feel of print is equally compelling to the consumer. Die-cut print accomplishes both, however, making a piece of print both visually pleasing, and pleasing to the touch. Combining both of these sensory experiences for the customer heightens their connection to the brand all the more. For instance, should you hand a business card over to a customer or prospect, they will of course look at it. However, before even giving it a preliminary glance, they will feel it with their hands. Having a unique shape or texture makes the business card all the more captivating, and gives them something unique and interesting to look at, as well.

Highlight Images

If you want to highlight certain design components and central images effectively, die-cutting them is a great way to do so. It helps to remove any undesirable white spaces, making the design more prominent. One die-cut image can bring focus to imagery that emcompasses a brand as a whole. For example, when you choose a picture of your company’s location, product, or spokesperson, and cut around the image, it’s an unspoken way of conveying your brand’s voice. This is especially useful for simple design elements that need a little extra ‘oomph.”

Typography

Prominent image-based visuals are not always necessary for grabbing the viewer’s attention. In some cases, highlighted text can be more cohesive with a certain brand image, while being equally eye-catching as die-cut imagery.In many cases, die-cut typography can give the air of a brand being luxury and high-end, while being more noticeable at the same time. Some brands may opt to change their actual font type to a more noticeable one instead, but this can sometimes come across as obnoxious and cheap to the viewer. Die-cutting a text-based design makes it more noticeable, without compromising the simplicity of the font design itself.

Functional Die Cuts

This process is not used exclusively to create pleasing aesthetics. In reality, die-cuts are much more versatile than this. They can, in fact, serve as functional enhancements for printed materials as well. For instance, rounded-off edges on print materials are durable and prevent it from being bent. Print can be die-cut with perforations, to add easily removable components. Die-cutting can also add fold lines, commonly used for boxes, envelopes, and other like-print materials.

Die-cutting, as a whole, is a great way to add flair to almost any print material. It’s great for emphasizing certain design components, appealing to a consumer's senses, and can even act as functional enhancements. Using this type of design easily makes print more noticeable, and doesn’t require you to compromise any actual content. If you are looking to give your print an “x-factor, “ die-cutting is definitely one of the best ways to do it!

Written by Omega High Impact Print Solutions Digital Marketing Associate, Emily Steel