Premium packaging is not created by print alone. It is created through the careful combination of materials, print, texture, and light.
At Beamglow, we offer a wide range of specialist finishes designed to add depth, tactility, and visual impact to folding cartons, helping brands create packaging that feels as premium as the product inside.
Soft Touch Varnish
Soft touch varnish creates a smooth, almost velvet-like surface, giving cartons a luxurious, tactile feel. It is often used for fragrance, beauty, and premium spirits packaging where the feel of the pack is just as important as the visual appearance.
High Gloss Varnish
High gloss varnish creates a deep reflective shine, making colours appear richer and more vibrant. It can be used across the whole pack or applied in specific areas to highlight logos, text, or patterns.
Matt Varnish
Matt varnish provides a flat, non-reflective finish that creates a subtle, understated premium look. Matt finishes are often combined with gloss varnish to create contrast and bring out design details.
Spot UV / Spot Varnish
Spot UV (also known as spot varnish) is applied to specific areas of the design to create contrast between matt and gloss surfaces. This technique is often used to highlight brand logos, patterns, or key text, adding depth without adding additional materials.
Embossing
Embossing raises areas of the carton surface to create a tactile, three-dimensional effect. This is commonly used for logos, brand names, and patterns, helping to create a pack that not only looks premium but feels premium.
Debossing
Debossing presses the design into the cartonboard to create a recessed effect. This can be used on its own for a subtle, elegant finish or combined with foil or varnish for more dramatic results.
Hot Foil
Hot foil stamping uses heat and pressure to apply metallic or pigmented foil to the carton surface. This creates a highly reflective, luxury finish often used for logos, crests, and decorative details.
Cold Foil
Cold foil is applied inline during printing, allowing very fine metallic detail, gradients, and overprinting of colours. This allows for more intricate metallic effects and can be a more efficient process for certain designs.
Transmet
Transmet is a specialist process that creates a metallic effect using transfer technology rather than traditional foil. This allows for metallic finishes while keeping the carton more recyclable, making it a popular option for brands looking to reduce environmental impact while maintaining a premium appearance.
Textured Varnishes
Textured varnishes can be used to create subtle surface textures such as leather effects, grain finishes, or patterned surfaces. These finishes add a tactile element and can help create a unique pack that stands out on shelf.
Anti-Scuff Varnish
Anti-scuff varnish is used to protect cartons from marking and rubbing during packing, transit, and filling line handling. This is particularly important for dark or heavily coloured cartons where marking can be more visible.
