Print: finishing process
Once ink has been applied to paper, there are a number of different processes the printed sheet undergoes in order to complete the trim item. Talon International offers a comprehensive gamut of finishing services that can enhance your paper trim and your product's subsequent retail appeal.
COATINGS Coatings protect the printed surface from rubbing and scratching. They can also be used to achieve dramatic design effects, using gloss coatings to highlight one area or a matte coating to reduce sheen in another. Not to be confused with the original coated surface of many papers, these four different styles of coating occur after ink has made its impression on the paper.
AQUEOUS A water-based coating providing either a matte or gloss finish. This coating is applied in-line on the printing press as a separate process immediately after the ink has been applied. Talon International offers aqueous coating at no additional charge to our customers because it facilitates the printing process, sealing the ink and drying the sheet instantly, allowing the sheet to be turned over and printed on the backside without delay. Please note that aqueous coating is not a "spot" coating and can only be applied to the entire sheet.
VARNISH This is an oil-based, in-line coating that is heavier than aqueous. Inexpensive and versatile, varnish can be applied to the entire sheet like aqueous, or it can be controlled just like another "ink" by making a plate for it and then applying it in very specific areas. Known as a spot varnish, this is often used to highlight photography or a particular design element. Either gloss or matte varnish is available. A tone-on-tone effect can be achieved by juxtaposing gloss and matte varnishes together on the same piece.
UV COATING If you're looking for a high-sheen effect or are concerned about fingerprinting (common on large dark areas of color), UV coating may be your best option. This is an off-line process, meaning it is applied after the printing process on separate equipment. The UV (ultra-violet) coating resists direct sunlight, preventing fading of the printed trim. Approximately $.002 per item, UV coating can add both pizzazz and practical advantages to paper trim. It's also possible to achieve special design effects with a spot UV coating.
FILM LAMINATION This process provides a very durable surface that helps protect the paper trim from tearing. A thin plastic film is affixed permanently to the surface of the printed sheet, covering the entire area (spot lamination is not available). Lamination is available in gloss, which offers the highest achievable sheen, or in matte, which has a milky, frosty appearance. The process is very slow and costly, but it provides the best surface of any coatings available.
CUTTINGTalon International printing presses are designed to handle sheets as large as 40" across, so when printing a 3" square hang tag, the same artwork will be repeated several times in a grid pattern. After ink and any coatings have been applied, the press sheet must be cut apart. There are two primary methods used:
Chop Cutting Also known as ream cutting or guillotining, chop cutting is the simple method for creating square or rectangular shapes. Printed sheets are loaded 100 at time under a large, very sharp guillotine blade, which then is guided with precision to make a single cut by the machine operator. The sheets are then slid and/or turned to make subsequent cuts.
Die Cutting A process that closely resembles cookie-cutting, die cutting is the method of choice to create any shape other than a square or rectangle. A die is built by hand from steel blades that are shaped into the desired forms and embedded into a wooden board. A wide variety of shapes can be achieved- including "windows" or various hole-shapes within an item. Die cutting is also often used to create a score to ease the folding of heavy paper when desired (i.e., for "booklet" hang tags). Due to the hand labor involved, die cutting is somewhat more expensive than chop cutting. Sometimes to save costs both methods can be used.
STRINGING/HOLE DRILLING A hang tag isn't much good if you don't have a way to attach it to the garment, so Talon International makes sure that all hang tags we produce are supplied with string, or have a hole for convenient swift tacking onto the garment. Talon International has automatic machinery that drills a hole into a hangtag, and then applies string if desired. This system avoids the need for special die cutting. For heavier strings and natural jute, strings may need to be applied by hand, which is naturally more expensive due to the labor involved. Talon International offers a wide selection of string types, colors and finishes. Stringing for hand tags ranged from $.01 to $.015 per item.
EYELETS A nice aesthetic and practical touch, eyelets provide strength to the hole of a hangtag, and can be attached automatically as part of the hole drilling and stringing operation (or without string if desired).
DOUBLE MOUNTING As discussed above, Talon International offers a wide range of heavy stocks ideal for hang tags, but in some cases you may want an extremely heavy, stiff feel to the hang tag, in which case mounting is the best option. Talon International glues the printed sheet to another heavy stock. This requires additional lead-time and ads as much as 40% to the cost, but it does provide a very high-quality feel and is popular in many retail environments.
