Business Stationery Printing Key Terms

Learn key terms for printing business stationery

By Adah Chung

Business stationery, such as letterhead, business cards, brochures, or envelopes, helps to provide a cohesive, professional image for your correspondences. Your business stationery makes a statement about your organization and is sometimes the first impression your company makes. Therefore, choosing the right printing style, method and printer for your business stationery is important. Learning some key terms for business stationery printing will help you to understand the printing process and choose the right kind of printer and printing method for your business stationery needs.

Paper weight, paper density

In the U.S., paper weight refers to the weight of 500 sheets (which is also called a ream). It is measured in pounds (#). Internationally, paper weight is measured in grams per square meter or grammage. Paper weight is important when selecting paper for your business stationery as it helps with the overall impression your stationery makes.
Try: Stationers Guild discusses paper weight in more detail.

Thermography

Thermography is the use of heat and powder on a plate to impress a logo or design onto paper. Thermography is an inexpensive way to get raised lettering on your stationery instead of engraving. It is sometimes known as imitation engraving.
Try: Business Stationery provides a description of thermography.

Engraving

Engraving is a printing process in which your business logo is etched onto a copper plate and then the plate is covered with ink and pressed onto paper. This technique gives the logo a raised appearance on the stationery.
Try: MyDesignPrimer.com describes the engraving printing process as well as the difference between engraving and thermography.

Offset printing

Offset printing is a broad term for a printing technique where the image to be printed is inked onto a separate surface before it is transferred to paper. This is the most common method of printing used and it encompasses many other techniques.
Try: Printing Machines discusses offset printing, the benefits and uses of this method of printing.

Lithography, offset lithographic printing

Lithography is an offset printing technique where the image to be printed is put on a flat plate and coated with chemicals whereby the image area absorbs the ink while the non-image area repels it.
Try: PCMag.com has a definition of this printing method on their website. For further reading, Castle Ink also discusses lithography as an offset printing technique.

Foil stamping

Foil stamping is the process of adding a thin film of metal to stationery. It is added through heat and pressure onto a die that presses the foil onto the paper for a decorative and elegant element to your stationery.
Try: Action Graphics discusses the foil stamping technique in detail.