When it comes to premium printing techniques like embossing, debossing, and letterpress, they add an extra touch of luxury to your project. But there’s one big question that often comes up: What happens to the back of my card when I emboss the front? The last thing you want is for a beautiful design on the front to leave an unwanted impression on the back. This is where duplex (2-ply) cards come in.
What Is Duplexing, and Why Does It Matter?
Duplexing is the process of bonding two sheets of paper together to create a thicker, sturdier card. The magic of duplexing is that it completely hides the impressions made by embossing or debossing on the front, ensuring the back remains smooth and pristine. This gives your card a clean, professional look that wouldn't be possible with a single-ply card.
But that’s not all. Duplexing also lets you get creative with rich paper stocks. Imagine pairing a soft cotton paper on the front with a bold, premium black stock on the back. The possibilities are endless, and at Jukebox, we offer a vast range of specialty papers, from premium Mohawk Superfine to luxurious cotton stocks and our Premium Black papers.
Most Popular Stocks to Duplex
Here's a table showcasing some of our most popular stocks to duplex, along with their recommended print techniques:
Stock | Recommended Print Techniques |
15pt Mohawk Recycled | Embossing, Printing |
18pt Mohawk | Embossing, Printing |
20pt Cotton | Embossing, Deboss, Letterpress, Printing |
18pt Colorplan | Embossing |
16pt Jet Black | Foiling, Embossing |
18pt Brown Kraft | Foiling |
20pt Silk | Foiling, Embossing |
See the Difference with Duplex Cards
Let’s take a look at what happens when you don’t use a duplex card. Here’s an example of a business card produced on 20pt stock with beautiful gold embossing. While the front looks stunning, the back clearly shows the unwanted impression left by the embossing.
Now, compare that to these examples of duplexed cards:
20pt Cotton with Letterpress and 18pt Colorplan Backing
The front features a deep letterpress impression, while the back remains perfectly flat and smooth, thanks to the duplexing process.
18pt Mohawk with Gold Foil and 18pt Brown Kraft Backing
The front has stunning gold foil, and the back features a contrasting brown kraft paper with gold foil, offering a unique, tactile experience.
17pt Cannabis with Sculpted Gold Foil Embossing and 17pt Cannabis Backing
The front showcases sculpted gold foil embossing, while the back stays flawless, showing how duplexing keeps your design looking sharp.
18pt Colorplan Various Colors with 18pt Colorplan Backing
The front and back sides feature luxurious raised rooftop embossing with Bitfrost Silver foiling. There’s no impression on either side, making these cards truly unique.
Each of these examples showcases how duplexing ensures the perfect finish for your desired effect, whether it's maintaining a flawless back side or achieving a unique, tactile experience with different paper stocks. However, it's important to note that duplexing is a more involved process. It requires the skill of a craftsman and takes longer to produce, which means it comes at a higher cost. But the result is well worth it—a truly premium product that stands out.
Beyond Business Cards
Duplexing isn’t just for business cards. It’s perfect for flyers, postcards, and even premium wedding invitations. Whether you want to make a great first impression or ensure your design looks flawless on both sides, duplexing is the way to go.
And duplexing isn’t just about hiding the impressions from embossing, debossing, or other premium techniques. It’s still a popular choice even without these add-ons.
Simple and stylish duplex of our 9pt Mohawk and 18pt Brown Kraft, with black printing on both sides.
You can duplex any of our stocks to create a thicker, more substantial card, even if you’re just printing on both sides. This versatility makes duplexing an excellent option for all types of print projects.
Ready to take your project to the next level? Get a custom quote here: Jukebox Print Quote Request.