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Business Cards are cards bearing business information about
a company or individual. They are shared during formal
introductions as a convenience and a memory aid. A business
card typically includes the giver's name, company
affiliation (usually with a logo) and contact information
such as street addresses, telephone number(s), fax number,
e-mail addresses and website. It can also include telex,
bank account, tax code. Traditionally many cards were simple
black text on white stock; today a professional business
card will sometimes include one or more aspects of striking
visual design.
Business cards are printed on some form of card stock, the
visual effect, method of printing, cost and other details
varying according to cultural or organizational norms and
personal preferences. The common weight of a business card
varies some by location. Generally, business cards are
printed on stock that is 350g/m2 (density), 45 kg (100 lb.)
(weight), or 12pt (thickness). High quality business cards
without full-color photographs are normally printed using
spot colors on sheet-fed offset printing presses. Some
companies have gone so far as to trademark their spot colors
(examples are UPS brown, Los Angeles Lakers' purple, and
Tide's orange). If a business card logo is a single color
and the type is another color, the process is considered two
color. More spot colors can be added depending on the needs
of the card. With the onset of digital printing, and batch
printing, it is now cost effective to print business cards
in full color.
To simulate the "raised-print" effect of printing with
engraved plates, a less-expensive process called
thermography was developed that uses the application of a
plastic powder, which adheres to the wet ink. The cards are
then passed through a heating unit, which melts the plastic
onto the card. Spot UV varnish onto matte laminate can also
have a similar effect.
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