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A Guide to Common Imprint Methods

As a leading Phoenix commercial printer, we pride ourselves in knowing the latest and most popular print techniques in the industry, including imprint methods.

To limit the confusion around the different types of imprints, we’ve listed some of the most common methods used for our clients to help you narrow down what your company is looking for.

Let’s take a look at some of the advantages and uses for each of the imprint methods!

Full Color Process or Digital Printing

This type of imprint is good for low quantity projects and projects that require a faster project turn time. You would ideally use this method for brochures, invitations, direct mail, or greeting cards.

Imprint Methods - O'Neil Printing

Offset

This method is good for high quantity projects that you want in high quality and detail. We are able to use custom inks for your projects. You would want to use this method for books, magazines, or custom envelopes.

PMS match

PMS, or Pantone Matching System, provides a universal system for identifying colors across the life of projects from design to manufacturing to the consumer. That way you will never have to wonder if the color is correct on your project.

Foil Printing

This process is used to add a foil or metallic layer to your print materials to give a unique look. The foil adheres to the surface and leaves a smooth, silky finish on the item. This process looks great on books, greeting cards, business cards, and pocket folders.

Full Bleed

This print method is used when you want your design to touch the edge of the material leaving no white edge. Edge to edge printing is used for different project such as business cards, magazines, books, flyers, brochures, posters, and so much more. Click here to read more about bleed in printing.

Debossing/Embossing

These two techniques are opposite of one another but are done similarly. The method of debossing and embossing will give your print materials either a raised image/text or an imprinted image/text. These methods are great for invitations, business cards, greeting cards, books, and more.

Laser Etching

How cool would it be to say your project was created using lasers? Well, you absolutely can with laser etching printing. With this method, we engrave your image or text onto the item and give it a contrast against the material.

Screen Printing or Silk Screen

This method is most commonly used on apparel or fabrics. It is a budget friendly imprint method that utilizes Pantone ink colors, and your projects remain true to color through design and manufacturing. We have great partners in Phoenix who we work with on apparel projects.

If you have any questions surrounding imprint methods, please contact us! We would love to help you determine which method is right for your company.

Thank you and your whole team for bringing the book to life in such a STUNNING and beautiful final form. You have been fantastic partners and we are somehow even more excited than before about getting this out into the community. We appreciate your help in navigating supply chain shortages, last-minute changes, and most importantly building this gorgeous (from cover-to-cover) piece in a way that elevates our brand and honors the donors and grantees who trusted us to tell their stories.

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Thank you so very much for the beautiful book O’Neil Printing delivered, A Fly Rod With a Soul, to my client Per Brandin.

From the very beginning I felt your commitment to our project and was grateful for your attention to detail. I appreciated how your staff was always on top of any issue by answering questions and finding solutions. It was a pleasure to work with such a kind-hearted group of people. Thank you for leading that way.

Deborah Davis Design

We needed a printer who could assure a high-quality product and provide solutions to our questions when we wanted to try new printing methods. O’Neil does just that and more. They have become a trusted partner in our business.

Brian MacDonald, Wonderkind Studios

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