Which finish holds on which sheet
Every finish behaves differently on every substrate, and most of the disappointment in specialty print comes from a pairing that was never going to work. The table compares finishes with the surfaces they need. A cell reading "Not confirmed" has not been confirmed for that pairing. Each verdict includes its physical reason.
| Finish | Hyacinth Cotton | Hyacinth Cotton | Colour-through paper | Duplex and triplex | 100% cotton | Colour-through | Recycled & eco | Silk & matte | Soft touch | Pearlescent & translucent | Stainless & brass | Clear & frosted plastic | Solid wood | NFC / smart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raised foil | No | No | No | Conditional | No | No | No | Not confirmed | Yes | Not confirmed | No | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Gold, silver and copper | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Conditional | Yes | Conditional | Conditional | Yes | Conditional | Conditional | Conditional |
| Two-colour foil on one face | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Conditional | Yes | Conditional | Conditional | Yes | Conditional | Conditional | Conditional |
| Foil on dark stock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Conditional | Yes | Conditional | Conditional | Yes | Conditional | Conditional | Conditional |
| Sculpted emboss | Yes | Yes | Conditional | Yes | Yes | Conditional | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | No | No | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Blind deboss | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Conditional | Yes | Conditional | No | No | Conditional | Conditional |
| Letterpress on cotton | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Conditional | No | No | Conditional | Conditional |
| Emboss registered to foil | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Conditional | Conditional | Conditional | No | No | No | No | Conditional |
| Painted edges | Yes | Yes | Conditional | Yes | Yes | Conditional | Yes | Conditional | Conditional | No | No | No | No | Conditional |
| Foiled edges | Yes | Yes | Conditional | Yes | Yes | Conditional | Conditional | Conditional | Conditional | No | No | No | No | Conditional |
| Duplex & triplex | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Conditional | No | No | No | Conditional | Conditional |
| Raised spot UV | No | No | No | Conditional | No | No | No | Conditional | Yes | Not confirmed | No | No | No | Not confirmed |
| Rounded corners | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not confirmed | Yes | Yes | Not confirmed | Yes | Yes | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Drilled holes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Conditional | Yes | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | No | No | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Die cut & custom shapes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Conditional | Yes | Yes | Conditional | No | Conditional | Conditional | Conditional |
| Spot UV, and clear foil on uncoated stock | No | No | No | Conditional | No | No | No | Conditional | Yes | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Soft-touch laminate | No | No | No | Conditional | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Conditional |