Matt lamination is the default for name cards and anything text-led or premium; gloss is the default for flyers and anything photo-led. Our standard name card is 260gsm art card with matt lamination, 90 x 54 mm, from SGD 30 a box of 100 and SGD 90 for ten boxes. Our standard flyer is 128gsm glossy art paper with no lamination. Choose gloss when colour and photographs have to jump; choose matt when the piece should feel calm, expensive and easy to read under office lighting.
By Chris Tan, Marketing Manager, Alibaba Printing. Updated October 2026.
What is the difference between matt and gloss?
Both are finishes applied over the printed sheet. Gloss reflects light, which deepens colour saturation and makes photographs and bright graphics look sharper. Matt scatters light, which softens colour slightly, removes glare and gives the surface a smooth, non-reflective feel. On paper the finish can be the paper’s own coating, as with glossy art paper, or a plastic film laminated over the sheet after printing, which adds stiffness and protection as well as the look. Lamination is the normal route for name cards and folders; coated paper alone is the normal route for flyers.
| Factor | Gloss | Matt |
|---|---|---|
| Colour and photos | Saturated, high contrast | Slightly softer, more even |
| Glare under lights | Reflects, can be hard to read at an angle | None, readable from any angle |
| Fingerprints | Show readily | Mostly hidden |
| Scuffs on dark solids | Less visible | More visible, especially on black |
| Feel | Slick, bright | Smooth, understated |
| Writing on it with a pen | Poor | Poor; leave the surface unlaminated if it must be written on |
| Our default on | Flyers (128gsm glossy art paper) | Name cards (260gsm art card, matt lamination) |
Which finish for name cards?
Matt lamination, which is why it is our standard. A name card is held close, under office or restaurant lighting, and read for small text, so glare works against it. Matt also hides the fingerprints a card collects as it is handed over. Our standard card is 260gsm art card, full colour, matt laminated, 90 x 54 mm, SGD 30 for a box of 100 and SGD 90 for ten boxes, which is about 9 cents a card; extra names on the same order are SGD 8 each. Current rates and options are on the name card printing page, and the size, bleed and file specs are on name card size in Singapore. Gloss lamination suits a card built around a photograph or a bright brand colour. For a premium step beyond either, spot UV puts a gloss highlight on chosen areas over a matt base, so the logo shines and the rest stays calm, and velvet touch adds a soft-touch coating on top of matt.
Which finish for flyers?
Gloss, without lamination. Flyers are read at arm’s length, often for a photograph of food, a product or a property, and gloss art paper makes that image pop at the lowest cost. Our distribution packages print on 128gsm glossy art paper for exactly this reason. Lamination on a flyer is only worth paying for when the piece will be kept and handled for weeks, such as a menu or a price list, in which case matt lamination on 157gsm or heavier makes it feel like a card rather than a leaflet. See flyer paper weight for the stock decision and flyer printing in Singapore for rates.
Which finish for folders, swing tags and menus?
Matt lamination for corporate folders and anything handed to a client across a desk, for the same reasons as name cards: readable under lights, no fingerprints, feels considered. Gloss lamination for retail swing tags, product menus and anything whose job is to make a photograph or a colour sell. For menus that live on the table, lamination of either kind is what lets them be wiped; matt wins where the menu is text-heavy, gloss where it is picture-heavy.
Does matt or gloss cost more?
Usually neither. Matt and gloss lamination use the same process with a different film, so the price is normally set by the size, the quantity and whether lamination is applied at all, not by which finish is chosen; your quotation will state it. The real cost decision is laminated or not: lamination adds a step and a film, so an unlaminated flyer on glossy art paper is always cheaper than the same flyer laminated. Name cards are priced with matt lamination included.
Which finish shows wear first?
It depends on the design. On white or light backgrounds, matt hides fingerprints and small marks and stays looking new longer. On black or dark solid backgrounds, matt lamination shows scuffs and scratches as pale lines, while gloss hides them; a black matt name card looks superb from the box and worn after a month in a wallet. For a dark design that will be carried and handled, choose gloss lamination, or keep matt and accept the ageing.
Matt or gloss: the quick decision rule
- Name card, text-led: matt lamination, our standard
- Name card, photo or bright colour: gloss lamination
- Logo must stand out on a calm card: spot UV over matt
- Flyer for letterbox or walkway: glossy art paper, no lamination
- Menu or price list to be kept and wiped: laminated, matt if text-heavy, gloss if picture-heavy
- Corporate folder: matt lamination
- Black or dark solid design that will be handled: gloss lamination
- Must be written on with a pen: no lamination
Frequently asked questions about matt and gloss finishes
Is matt or gloss better for business cards?
Matt for most cards, because it reads without glare under lights and hides fingerprints. Our standard name card is 260gsm art card with matt lamination at SGD 30 a box of 100. Gloss suits cards built around a photograph or a bright colour.
Is matt or gloss better for flyers?
Gloss. Flyers sell with colour and images, and glossy art paper delivers that at the lowest cost. Lamination is only worth it on a flyer that will be kept and handled, such as a menu.
Does matt lamination cost more than gloss?
Usually not. Both use the same process with a different film, so the price is normally the same. What changes the price is whether lamination is applied at all; your quotation will state it.
Can you write on a laminated card?
Not well with a ballpoint on either finish. If a card or form must be written on, leave that surface unlaminated.
Which finish hides scratches on a black card?
Gloss. Matt lamination on black shows scuffs as pale lines, so a dark design that will be carried in a wallet lasts better in gloss.