What are the best print production services for creating high-quality business cards?

Print Quality is now given. Digital presses tend to produce low quantity runs a lot more consistently. You could setup the process relatively quickly and easily. You could take advantage of merging variable data on the fly. Now with digital finishing added easily, your ultimate business cards can be printed in a cost effective maner. The limitations are if you require specific colours (like pantone) as this will not be simulated 100%. The digital presses also has limitations to the kind and weight of board you can use. The offset litho process is a more superior way to producing business cards, however, it has a much larger set up cost and is time consuming.

In reality, while there is a lot of choices, it largely depends on the process you wish to use and how far you really wish to go. Our experience is that textured stocks and thicker material work best with litho printing. Digital presses will go up to 400gsm and a good quality smooth offset will be sufficient for most purposes. Of the other materials available, personally, silk finish works better than gloss, or even one sided boards. There are ways to glue two (or even 3) boards to make super thick business cards. They do look very elegant and with the option to do digital foil or embossing, they do provide a superior business card for those wanting to achieve this.

Customisation has become increasingly affordable, from when you needed additional expensive dies, cutters, machines and highly skilled operators to achieve what is now become a simpler process. The skill levels have lowered as the digital equipment will do the heavy lifting. Digital finishing like foil stamping, embossing and spot UV coating is increasingly becoming popular to lift your business cards. There is an enormous development in equipment that achieve the results with relative ease. The end results can be quite different and pleasing. Die cut shaped cards have become affordable, but are still not often seen or requested. There is certainly scope, as the shape cut business card is likely to stand out and represents a uniqueness

Turnaround times are a given, most printers using a digital press should be able to turnaround the business cards with relative ease. A 24-72 hour-turnaround would be a norm. We have often been requested for a 1-2 hours service and we have obliged. The turnaround times also depend on what finishing is expected a laminated card, foiled card or embossed will require additional time, but should not exceed the 24-72 hour stated above.

In my opinion, the insistence of eco-friendly practices isn't as popular as it ought to be. Most customers would be happy with a recycled material. These are readily available, however, when you add other digital processes like foiling etc., the impact (and cost) of applying these finishing may be debatable. The use of vegetable-based inks is in its infancy, the take up is still quite limited, however work is being done in the area and things are likely to take time, but will change.