Basic Printing Terminologies – Help & Support

Latex printing is a water-based technology that uses latex (a type of polymer) to produce high-quality, durable prints. It is eco-friendly, emits low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and is suitable for various substrates like paper, fabric, and vinyl.

Digital printing is a modern method where designs are directly printed from digital files onto the packaging material. It is ideal for short runs and offers quick turnaround times with minimal setup costs.

UV printing uses ultraviolet light to cure or dry the ink as it is printed. This method ensures sharp, vibrant colors and is ideal for glossy, matte, or textured finishes.

Offset printing is a traditional technique that transfers ink from a plate to a rubber blanket, then onto the printing surface. It is cost-effective for large runs and ensures high-quality, consistent results on custom packaging boxes.

Flexography is a versatile printing technique using flexible relief plates. It is commonly used for printing on materials like cardboard, plastic, and metallic films, making it ideal for packaging.

CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black), the primary colors used in color printing. This color model is ideal for achieving vibrant and accurate colors in printed materials.

RGB stands for Red, Green, and Blue, the colors used for digital screens. Designs in RGB need to be converted to CMYK for accurate color representation in printing.

PMS (Pantone Matching System) is a standardized color matching system used in printing to ensure consistent and accurate colors across different materials and production runs. Each PMS color has a unique code, allowing precise color reproduction without variations. It is commonly used for branding and packaging to maintain color consistency.

Color space is a specific range of colors a device or printing process can reproduce. Common color spaces include RGB, CMYK, and LAB.

An ICC (International Color Consortium) color profile ensures consistent color reproduction across devices by standardizing how colors are interpreted.

High-resolution formats like PDF, AI, EPS, or TIFF are ideal for printing. Avoid using low-resolution formats like JPEG for best results.