Watermarking – the lasting impression

If you are in need of a beautiful letterhead the key aspects to think about would be the design, the paper stock and the printing processes. If you get this right you could end up with a great piece of stationery that has a practical use as well as being a great marketing tool. It is also important to think about the extra nuances that make the most of a product. For items such as letterheads, compliment slips and certificates a watermark can provide this additional ingredient that ensures your stationery is of the highest standard.

A ‘watermark‘ can often be overlooked, but when the letter is handled and the smallest ray of light touches the paper the image will be revealed, creating a beautiful compliment to the finishes already on the page.

It’s not always the case that the ‘watermark’ needs to be this additional component, either. A ‘watermark’ can be incredibly effective on its own, highlighting the identity of the individual or company through this slight inclusion of branding in logo or text form.

Over the years we have developed our own technique for creating ‘watermarks’ that allows us to produce smaller practical runs, starting from as little as 500 or 1000 A4 sheets, compared to the traditional method in paper mills where two tons (equating to around 160,000 sheets) is the minimum order. We use a chemical process that allows the design to be seen on and through the paper, achieving very similar results to that of a ‘true’ watermark.

This effect also makes our process work perfectly for security purposes should legitimate prints of authenticity be needed. If you take for example a luxury jeweller; they might have the finest stationery but it is the intricacies that provide the final proof of a certificate or letters’ validity. Also if you imagine a bank note with its watermark of the Queens head – this isn’t just for decorative reasons!  Forgery can be avoided when the level of detail to be mimicked is of an exceptionally high standard.

The finishing touches can often be overlooked, but it is the subtle effects in print that can sometimes have the biggest impact. Whatever the purpose, the watermarking finish is a fantastic incorporation for any item of corporate stationery intended to provide security, achieve luxury or to enhance reflection of business identity.

Tuesday, 17th June, 2014