Why Choose Spot UV Business Cards
In the world of business cards, Spot UV offers something special. Unlike a flat printed finish, Spot UV applies a glossy ultraviolet coating to selected parts of your design. The result is an elegant visual contrast and a tangible texture that makes your card stand out.
Spot UV is ideal for emphasising large areas, logos or patterns, rather than tiny text or thin lines. We recommend using it for larger solid shapes because of the way the glossy layer is applied.
The Visual and Tactile Impact
- Gloss meets matt: Because Spot UV is often layered over matte or silk card, the glossy parts catch the light in a striking way.
- Texture you can feel: The UV polymer adds a subtle raised effect, giving your card a premium feel.
- Selective shine: Instead of gloss everywhere, you choose which elements to highlight. This means your logo, name or design motif can really pop.
Design Considerations
Getting Spot UV right requires thoughtful design and correct file setup. Here’s what to keep in mind:
- Create a separate layer for your Spot UV areas
We ask you to supply a separate page for your Spot UV artwork, using solid black (100 per cent K) shapes only, no cyan, magenta or yellow.
- Watch the registration tolerance
The Spot UV process has a tolerance of around ±0.5 mm, so very fine details, thin lines or very small text may not register perfectly. For these very fine design details, we recommend you don’t use Spot UV.
- Avoid edge-to-edge UV
For the best finish, avoid putting Spot UV right to the edge of the card. We suggest keeping it slightly inward so it does not get trimmed or misaligned.
- Set up your PDF correctly – this guide will help you
- For double-sided Spot UV cards: supply a 4-page print-ready PDF. Page 1 is your front artwork, page 2 is your back artwork, page 3 is the Spot UV layer for the front, page 4 is the Spot UV layer for the back.
- For one-sided Spot UV: you still need a 4-page PDF. Insert blank pages for the sides you are not using.
- Use vector artwork for your UV shapes if possible, as this gives cleaner, sharper coverage.
- Design your card to standard size
Use the usual UK business card dimensions of 85 mm × 55 mm and include a 3 mm bleed around all sides. Your full artwork should therefore measure 91 mm by 61 mm. Keep key text and logos inside a safe area of around 79 mm by 49 mm.
- Use the right colour mode
Design in CMYK for accurate colour printing.
Common Challenges and Pitfalls
- Misregistration: Because of the ±0.5 mm tolerance, Spot UV may not align perfectly with your base artwork. That is why simple, bold shapes work better than tiny, intricate details.
- No rounded corners: We cannot do Spot UV business cards with rounded corners.
- File complexity: Supplying a correctly structured file is more involved than for a standard printed card, as you need separate layers for artwork and UV, and sometimes blank pages if you are doing one-sided UV. Read more in our guide
When to Use Spot UV
Spot UV is not just a “nice to have”; used correctly, it can elevate your card:
- Use it on your logo or brand name to make it shine.
- Consider using it on graphic elements or patterns for a textured effect.
- Apply it to a slogan or tagline to draw attention.
- Use UV only sparingly for a classy, premium look — too much can dilute its impact.
Benefits of Choosing Spot UV with Tradeprint
We offer Spot UV business cards on quality stocks (for example, their 350 gsm or 450 gsm silk finish). We also provide detailed guidance on file setup to help you submit artwork correctly on the product page itself of via the referenced guide in this document.
Our free File Check service ensures your design is checked, and once approved, your cards are printed with precision.
Spot UV business cards offer a powerful way to combine subtlety with sophistication. The contrast of matte card and glossy UV creates a high-impact, tactile finish that feels premium and looks refined.
By designing with care, supplying the right files and choosing the right artwork areas, you can create cards that do more than just carry your details; they reflect your brand’s attention to quality and design.
