Proof of Concept – R&D

Our research and development department applies our technical expertise for special effects screen printing on a full-time basis, doing new samples every day with UV coatings, custom inks and varnishes.

Furthermore, we don’t just use products off the shelf (although we have inventory of and access to the best and most cutting edge inks and coatings from around the world), we CREATE our own inks and coatings in house to achieve YOUR desired look, feel, or smell with the highest quality and performance. CUSTOM colors, textures, scents… we’ve done over 600 in just the past few years.

We work closely on a pre- or post-artwork basis with:

• Commercial printers
• Brand owners of consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies
• Retail packaging designers
• Retail POS and signage designers
• Gift and credit card manufacturers
• Greeting card designers and manufacturers
• Book cover designers and publishers

Challenge us! We love exceeding expectations and achieving the impossible.

Pre-Artwork

Special effects printing is conceptual at this stage. Engage with us to talk about your branding, messaging, target audience, and what you’re trying to achieve. We’ll identify potential coatings and deliver samples of your desired printing technique. These coatings can be customized with color matching, unique textures, engaging visual effects and never before seen solutions.

Post-Artwork

If our already have artwork created, we help to enhance it to engage multiple senses. The best way to do this is in the pre-artwork stage, but we know this isn’t always possible. Our clients sometimes have a technique in mind, like glitter or gloss, and other times they are more open-minded, like using scents or glow-in-the-dark. We work well in either scenario.

Special Effects Printing Samples

Once we zero in on a special effects concept, there are three types of samples we can provide:

• Drawdowns: samples of coating on plain paper to show what technique looks like – very useful for scents and we often do this at no charge
• Hand-Pass with Film: we hand-create these sample on your artwork (e.g. 10-ups for plastic cards)
• Press Test: we create these samples on a press to test if the ink adheres properly, if your digital ink is compatible with UV coatings, etc. – there is a charge to this to cover our costs but it may be credited back depending on the size of the project