Lamination in Printing: Gloss, Matte and Soft-Touch

Lamination bonds a thin, clear plastic film over the whole surface of a printed piece, protecting it from moisture, finger oils, scuffing and tearing while changing how it looks and feels. We laminate in-house on our Matrix laminator, in gloss or in a matte that is a soft-touch finish.

Unlike spot UV, which coats only chosen areas for contrast, lamination covers everything, its job is protection first, finish second, and it noticeably stiffens the sheet.

Gloss or soft-touch matte

Gloss lamination deepens colour and adds shine, and its wipeable surface is why menus and door hangers that live outdoors or get handled wet default to it. Soft-touch matte mutes reflections and gives the piece a velvety feel, the premium finish for cards and covers, and the surface that makes spot UV accents pop by contrast. Matte shows scuffs less; gloss shows fingerprints more.

When not to laminate

Skip lamination on anything that must be written on, appointment cards, forms, mailing pieces that take a pen, since ink sits on the film and smears. It also adds thickness and stiffness, which suits a menu but works against a piece that should fold flat or feel light in the hand, one reason mailers are usually left unlaminated.

Which one for your job?

Laminate pieces that live rough: menus, bookmarks, door hangers on rainy routes, reference cards handled daily. Choose gloss for wipeability and colour punch, soft-touch matte for the premium feel. Skip it for writable and foldable pieces. If you are unsure, tell us how the piece will be used, the use decides the finish.

Common questions

Is lamination the same as spot UV?

No. Lamination covers the entire surface with a protective film; spot UV coats only selected areas for visual contrast, usually on top of a matte lamination. One protects, the other accents, and they are often used together.

Does lamination make a piece waterproof?

Water-resistant, not waterproof. The faces shed spills and wiping, but the paper core can still absorb moisture through cut edges under prolonged exposure. For pieces that live outdoors permanently, a synthetic stock is the better answer.

What is soft-touch lamination?

A matte laminate with a velvety, almost rubbery feel, our matte on the Matrix laminator is this finish. It reads as premium in the hand, resists fingerprints, and pairs well with foil or spot UV accents.

Products where this term matters

See also in the dictionary: Spot UV, Paper weight and finishes · full dictionary