Business Card Glossary

Card Stock:
Refers to the thickness of the paper the card is printed on and is normally measured in either points or pounds.  Points represent the thickness of the paper as a thousandth of an inch, while pounds refers to the weight of 500, 20” by 26” sheets. The higher the number, the thicker the paper.   Most cards are printed on 100-110lb. (around 12 pt.) or higher paper stock.

CMYK/RGB Color:
Refers to the color profile.  CMYK stands for cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, while RGB stands for red, green, and blue.

Dimensions
Business card sizes differ from country to country.  The standard size most cards in the U.S. and Canada is 3.5" x 2" (89 x 51 mm), while the international standard is 3.370" x 2.125" (85.60 x 53.98 mm), the same size as credit cards. Japanese business cards are normally 91 x 55 mm.

Embossing:
Refers to the process of creating a three-dimensional, raised image in paper.

Fold-Over Business Cards:
A type of business card that is twice the size of a normal business card, yet folded down the middle to fit the standard business card size.

Full Color:
Refers to the color preferences of the card, and is represented by two numbers; the first for the front of the card, and other for the back.  A 4 stands for full color, 1 stands for black and 0 means blank.  A 4/0 card would have full color on one side and no printing on the back, while a 1/1 card would be black and white on both sides.

Lamination & Coating ( Glossy, UV Coating, Matte, Aqueous, etc.):
Most cards are finished with some sort of coating to improve the look and durability of the card once it is printed.  Glossy UV provides a glossy, reflective-type look to the card face. Aqueous coating gives the face some sheen, while matte is the standard looking paper-finish look.

Proofing
Refers to the process of checking out the card design before it is sent to the printing presses. This is usually accomplished through a pdf file or proprietary graphic program, although some companies will send a physical sample.

Raised Print
Refers to the optional feature that adds an additional layer of texture over text on business cards.   This is accomplished by sprinkling plastic powder on top of wet ink in a process called thermography.

Two-Sided:
Cards can either be single or double-sided, depending on need, preference, and cost.

Watermark:
Watermarks are images or patterns in paper that appear lighter and clearer when viewed by transmitted light.  This is normally an optional feature on some business cards, and can only be done on single-sided cards.