The Benefits of Lamination

As far as finishing touches to printed materials go, few are more useful than lamination. Lamination is one of the simplest ways to keep printed documents looking pristine for longer. Laminating documents also gives them a professional finish and protects them from damage. These two factors combined present an attractive option to anyone wanting to get the most out of the documents they use. Lamination is an ideal finishing option for a number of document types and any good printing company will usually offer laminating services, often as an add-on to make a professionally printed item look extra-polished. It is worth investigating the types of laminated finish that are available, ensuring the right finish is selected to do the print job justice. Some of the best uses of lamination are as follows. Poster lamination Laminating a printed poster can turn it from a simple message into a durable sign. Poster lamination is of particular use for signs that need to be displayed over a long period of time, or that are displayed somewhere that they could easily be damaged. An example is the health and safety poster, which is displayed in a kitchen where it could easily come into contact with water. Pass lamination Passes or name badges that are printed onto standard paper can be made to last over a period of time by laminating them. This is particularly handy for businesses that have guests or visitors; a temporary visitor's security pass can be simply printed and laminated. Business card lamination Business cards are an essential part of entrepreneurial networking and cards are exchanged on a daily basis. One way to help a business card stand out from the crowd – and more importantly, retain its pristine condition even after spending time in someone's wallet – is to get these business cards laminated. Wipe-clean document lamination Laminated documents make an excellent wipe-clean surface, ideal for writing on with a dry-wipe marker. This means documents that change regularly, such as shift rotas and timetables, can be constantly updated without the need for reprints. Lamination is technically defined as putting two layers of material together and the process has been around for a number of years. Curiously, the lamination process was invented in 1938 by a dentist, who created a process that would evolve to become what we know today as lamination. Lamination first became a popular way to preserve photographs that were originally printed on paper. Today, laminating printed documents is commonplace, simply because lamination is a fast, effective way of protecting the printed element created. Lamination can protect documents from a variety of things, including saving documents from fading through sun damage to ensuring that they are no tarnished by dirt, dust or dampness. Any individual or organisation looking to create printed material that can be reused or displayed for a long time would benefit from laminating their documents. This helps both time and budget to be utilised as effectively as possible. Given the versatility of lamination, it is no surprise that many people see it as an essential part of producing professional-looking documents that have a long shelf life.