My favourite review from 16 years in business was about one of our best selling laser cut birthday cards. It said:
"My Grandma thinks the card is made with magic!"
That got me right in the feels. Laser cut greetings cards aren't like normal cards. They aren't printed, they don't have colours on them, they don't have things stuck on them and they don't have drawings on them. So what exactly are they?
A laser cut greetings card is a card with areas cut away by laser to create an image.
Artwork is drawn by hand, directly into computer design software. This is the tricky bit because designers need to learn how to think-in-stencil-form. Knowing which lines to leave in and which to take out so that everything works perfectly can be a learning curve. I think it took me a few years to really get the hang of this!
Once drawn, the shapes are cut out by a laser cutting machine from a single sheet of card. I won't bore you with all the ins and outs of a laser cutter, but do let me know if you'd like more on this process.
Not all laser cut cards are created equal.
We're not saying this to brag. It's true! Here's what to avoid-
- White card. When white card is laser cut, it has a habit of turning brown on the cut edges. This can look pretty grim. It's why we don't cut white card. We've hunted high and low for a cardstock that cuts without scorching, we've even had special equipment made to help reduce the scorching problem and avoid brown edges.
- Mass-produced, super-cheap laser cut cards. These are the ones you can pick up in cheap card outlets, and usually the quality is not great. They are often brown and scorched, and usually really delicate. They can tear or break easily, and won't be worth keeping beyond the event. A laser cut card for just a couple of quid? That's a big red flag for us.
So what are green flags when it comes to buying laser cut greetings cards?
I'm so glad you asked!
- Quality- Look for cards that aren't brown on the cut edges. Is the design in the centre of the card or is it wonky or uneven? Ideally, the design should be in the middle, with a nice sized border around it- this helps with framing it, too.
- Price- You get what you pay for when it comes to laser cut cards. If you want a card that will be so special and unique that they'll want to frame it and keep it forever, then invest in a laser cut card that has been made with care and attention. It does make a difference.
- Made to order- This helps with reducing the risk of those pesky brown marks, which can occasionally appear over time in harsh sunlight. Made to order cards don't have this problem.
- Small business- Is the laser cut greetings card made by a fabulous UK small business? Of course, any opportunity to support a small business is a green flag in our books.
Why does it matter?
Well, if you're giving a special laser cut greetings card to one of your favourite people on a special occasion, you want it to be perfect. If, however, you're not after something that they'll want to frame and cherish, then you can ignore this whole post!
So there you go, everything you need to know about laser cut greetings cards. Pop your questions or queries in the comments and we'll do our best to answer!