Matte vs Gloss Finishes: Choose the Right One for Packaging

Waqas Khan Pitafi 2024-07-02 13:32:10

Matte vs Gloss Finishes: Choose the Right One for Packaging

Want to enhance the look and feel of your product’s packaging? Get it coated with exquisite finishes that improve your customers’ tactile experience while protecting the printed design on the packaging. Two such popular finishes are matt and gloss.

Generally, a matte finish results in a subtle effect on packaging with a velvety touch. On the other hand, a gloss finish results in a shiny effect with a silky smooth feel. Let’s compare matte vs gloss in terms of process, texture, effect, pros, and cons to help you choose the right one for your product packaging. Read on!

Understand the Concept of Lamination and Coating

Before digging into details, you must understand that lamination and coating are two different things. Some people have misconceptions about matte vs gloss lamination and coating and they consider them the same. Their pros and cons are also different.

The main difference between lamination and coating is the process and material. In the laminating process, a plastic film is used over the paper sheet. On the other hand, the coating process involves a liquid coat that is cured by ultraviolet light and applied to the paper-based materials.

As a result of both processes, matte and gloss effects are created. Now let’s discuss the differences in effects, pros, and cons of both processes respectively.

Difference Between Matte and Glossy Finishing Effect

The main difference between matte vs gloss finishes is their appearance and feel to the touch. The Matte finish has a non-shiny and subtle texture. However, a gloss finish has a shiny and reflective appearance and texture.

The demand for lamination and coating is increasing due to the outstanding matte and gloss finish these processes produce. According to Future Market Insights, sales of packaging laminates are anticipated to reach US$9,694.9 million by 2034. So, understand the comparison of matte vs gloss finish and choose the right one for packaging.

On the other hand, the below chart shows how rapidly the packaging coating market is also expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.14% during the forecast from 2023 to 2033.

On the other hand, the chart shows how rapidly the packaging coating market is also expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.14% during the forecast from 2023 to 2033.

Pros of Matte Finish

Whether you choose lamination or coating, the matte finish comes with the following benefits you should never ignore:

Advantages of Matte Lamination

The matte lamination involves the process of using a plastic film on printed packaging. The plastic film for matte finish has a non-reflective texture and appearance. Sometimes this process is done along with using matte paper. Wondering about what is matte paper? It is a paper that absorbs light instead of reflecting light. Matte paper is used to achieve the matte finish.

The following are the benefits of matte lamination:

Matte lamination is durable.
It offers an aesthetically pleasing visual appeal.
It offers protection against tears, scratches, and abrasions.
This lamination improves the tactile experience of customers.
The non-reflective properties enhance the readability of the printed packaging.

Advantages of Matte Coating

It offers a velvety touch.
It also looks visually appealing.
It has more color stability than matte lamination
Matte coating is a cost-effective packaging solution.
Its application process is easier than matte lamination.

Cons of Matte Finish

Along with immense benefits, the matte finish also has a few cons mentioned below:

Disadvantages of Matte Lamination

It shows smudges and marks over time.
Its application process is quite complicated.
Matte lamination is quite costly than matte coating.
It has less color stability as compared to matte coating.

Disadvantages of Matte Coating

It is less durable than matte lamination.
Matte coating is more expensive than gloss coating.
Its texture does not offer a soft touch feel than matter lamination.
The matte coating can be less scratch-resistant than matte lamination.

Pros of Gloss Finish

The gloss finish looks shiny and reflective. Both coating and lamination create excellent glossy effects for product packaging. Following are a few benefits gloss finish offers:

Advantages of Gloss Lamination

It is water resistant due to the use of plastic film.
Gloss lamination offers great protection to product packaging.
Gloss lamination enhances the vibrant colors due to the glossy effect.
The reflective and shiny texture enhances the beauty of printed packaging.

Advantages of Gloss Coating

Gloss coating offers a silky touch.
It adds beauty to the printed packaging.
Gloss coating has a quick application process.
It proves to be a budget-friendly packaging solution.
The enhanced tactile experience improves the perceived value of packaged products.

Cons of Gloss Finish

Considering a few cons of gloss finish in the form of lamination and coating will help you choose the suitable finish according to your preferences. Here are some disadvantages of a glossy finish:

Disadvantages of Gloss Lamination

It has a higher cost than gloss coating.
Gloss lamination reduces the readability due to the reflective effect.
The glare of gloss lamination makes it difficult for customers to view images and texts on the packaging.

Disadvantages of Gloss Coating

It is less durable than gloss lamination.
Gloss coating offers less protection to product packaging.
Proper cleaning of packaging with a glossy effect is required to reduce the fingerprints.

5 Uses of Matte vs Glossy Finishes

Varnishes and finches are extensively used in the printing and packaging industry to enhance the beauty of printed surfaces. Some best use of matte and glossy finishes are as follows:

Stickers and labels for packaging and artwork are coated with a matte and glossy finish.
The print on business cards and brochures is protected and enhanced with these finishes.
These finishes are used to highlight the artwork and posters.
Matte and glossy finishes are used on books and journals.
Photos and menus are also made using these finishes.

Pro Tips for Choosing the Right Finish

Before choosing from a matt or gloss finish, you need to ensure that the material you selected for packaging supports the application of a particular finish or not. For example, custom kraft boxes have a porous surface and texture. Applying a matte finish to kraft packaging does not come out well.

Matte finish requires a smooth and poreless surface for excellent results. For example, rigid boxes look classy when coated with a matte finish. A gloss finish is more versatile and can be applied to the rough surface as well for a sleek appeal.

You should also consider the type of product that is supposed to be packed in packaging coated with a certain finish. For example, a luxury men’s watch looks more classy and appealing when packed in custom rigid boxes with a matte finish. Likewise, pastel color boxes for luxury feminine perfumes look stunning with a gloss finish.

Another important tip for choosing the right finish is to understand your brand persona and customers’ preferences. For example, if your brand personality is glamorous, you should consider making packaging boxes with vibrant hues and gloss coating. Likewise, if your brand personality is modern and bold, you may opt for muted color packaging coated with a matte finish.

Matte vs Gloss Finishes: The Final Verdict

It is hard to say which finish is the right for your brand without knowing your brand personality and customer preferences. However, you can make a final decision based on the type of product packaging, design theme, customers’ preferences, and brand persona.

An interesting thing about matte and gloss finishes is that you can also play with them using their combination on the product packaging. For example, a luxury rigid box coated with muted color and matte finish may look great when your brand’s logo is embossed with a glossy effect.

Your retail products that need to be captured at first glance on the retail shelves should be customized with vibrant colors and glossy effects. Likewise, you can add matte boxes for your gift brand to add a touch of sophistication.

You can also consider using other finishes such as holographic for a rainbow-sheen effect on your product packaging. Embossing and debossing work well to highlight your brand logo on the boxes with a 3d effect. Foil stamping with a minimalistic design works well when contrasting with custom rigid boxes with a matte finish. In short, both finishes could be right for your product packaging if you understand your product needs, brand persona, and customers’ preferences.

Conclusion

The above discussion shows the significance of matte vs gloss finishes in the packaging industry. While analyzing matte vs gloss finish, you must consider your business and product requirements. A gloss finish adds a charming and silky appeal to your product packaging be it cosmetic, electronic, or food. On the other hand, a matte finish adds a touch of sophistication and is mostly used for high-end products like luxury watches or jewelry packaging. Both have their pros and cons. You just need to understand your brand personality and product needs to pick the one.

Still have questions? Feel free to contact us. We will get back to you shortly!