A shape is a piece of tooling.
A steel rule cuts the printed sheet to a repeatable silhouette. The outline belongs in the specification, the proof and the price — not only in the mockup.
Start with the finish
See what custom shapes does with your own brief.
Free · about two minutes
Thick uncoated stock·Custom die cut·Hot foil
White uncoated·32pt·Trimmed edge
Heavy uncoated·Relief detail
Duplex board·Bonded construction
What it's like to run
A steel-rule die is a physical cutting tool made once and used for the run. That fixed tooling cost is why repeat quantity improves quickly. Laser cutting avoids a steel rule and handles intricate short-run contours, but it is slower per sheet and can leave a dark or polished edge depending on the material. Any cut that fully encloses an interior area creates a loose island; a ring, counter or frame must carry connector bridges or stay printed rather than cut.
A silhouette shown in a render is not free decoration. If it changes the perimeter, it is a custom die in the spec and estimate.
What the screen cannot show
A photograph hides edge quality and scale. The sample lets you inspect the cut shoulder, bridge width and the way the shape survives handling.
Hold the finish in your hand — request a sample pack →What it runs on
| Substrate | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Uncoated & 100% cotton | Excellent | Steel rule cuts cleanly; thick cotton needs enough bridge at narrow necks. |
| Colour-through (dyed) stock | Excellent | The cut edge keeps the sheet colour, so the silhouette reads from every side. |
| Coated silk & matte stock | Excellent | Sharp, repeatable cuts with little fibre pull. |
| Thick board, duplex & triplex | Excellent | Cuts as one bonded object after curing; narrow bridges must scale with caliper. |
| Recycled, kraft & inclusion stock | Good, tested | Long inclusions can feather at the edge, so fine contours need testing. |
| Wood veneer | Good, tested | Laser often beats steel rule for short intricate work, but the edge darkens. |
Minimums and specs
- Steel-rule tooling
- Priced once / shape
- House shape allowance
- $99 baseline
- Final estimate follows size and complexity
- Floating islands
- Connector bridges required
- Laser alternative
- Intricate short runs
Choose the process by the outcome
- Repeatable production shape
- Steel-rule die.
- Intricate short-run detail
- Laser, after edge testing.
- A ring or enclosed counter
- Add bridges or keep it printed.
Price context
The die is a fixed tooling charge — our baseline custom-shape allowance is $99, with final cost set by size and complexity. Steel rule becomes efficient as quantity rises; laser avoids tooling but adds machine time to every piece.
Get this finish costed →Pairs well with
Foil stamping
A heated die transfers a metallic film onto the stock under pressure. Not printed, not simulated — a layer of metal with an impression around it.
Blind deboss
A die presses the artwork into the sheet with no ink and no foil. The only thing you see is the depth — the surface reading differently where it's been compressed.
Duplex and triplex
Duplex bonds two printed plies into one piece. Triplex adds a third, often a contrasting core that turns the cut edge into a deliberate line.
Seen in
Common questions
- When is laser cutting better than a steel-rule die?
- For intricate short runs where avoiding tooling outweighs slower per-piece cutting and edge effects.
- Why do enclosed shapes need bridges?
- A fully enclosed cut releases the interior as a loose piece. Bridges keep it attached.
- Can the cut shape be decided after design?
- No. The perimeter affects layout, safety, tooling and price from the start.