
Varnish
A transparent finishing layer available in gloss, satin, or matte effects. It enhances the printed surface and adds an extra layer of visual appeal and light protection.
A black adhesive sticker with a raised or recessed embossed finish, specified against a material with enough weight to hold the emboss cleanly. Orders start from 100 units.
An emboss is a raised or recessed detail pressed into the sticker itself, not printed onto it. On black, there’s no bright ink doing the work of catching the eye, so that pressed detail usually carries the whole effect on its own. Getting the specification right matters even more here than on a design that leans on colour instead.
A blind emboss is pressure alone: the design is raised, or recessed if debossed, with no ink added, so the shape itself, and the shadow it catches, carries the whole effect. A combination finish adds foil or print on top of the raised area instead, for a metallic or coloured lift against the black base. Which of the two suits a given design is worth confirming before artwork is finalised rather than after, since the specification differs between them.
This is the part that gets skipped most often. Embossing needs the face material to carry enough weight and thickness to hold a raised or recessed shape cleanly. Push that shape into a stock that’s too light for the depth specified, and the detail can show through on the reverse, adhesive side of the sticker. That matters wherever the reverse side stays visible, or needs to sit flush against a clean surface. A sticker’s own face stock runs thinner than the board a box or a rigid case is made from, so this question is worth asking here specifically rather than assuming any adhesive material takes an emboss equally well. Confirming the material and the emboss depth together, before production, is what actually settles it.
Colour management applies wherever print or foil is combined with the emboss. Pantone references and CMYK values can be used to manage colour consistency, subject to normal variation caused by the chosen board, ink, coating and production method. Orders start from 100 units. Design support is free. Using it here helps confirm the emboss will read clearly at the size and level of detail specified, ahead of full production. A digital 3D mock-up is free. There are no setup fees. Standard production takes 6 to 8 business days after approval. UK delivery is free.
A very fine or highly detailed design can be harder to emboss cleanly than a bolder shape. Fine detail is exactly where a raised or recessed effect is most likely to lose definition, so spot UV or foil printing without an emboss is often the closer fit there. A shaped sticker that doesn’t need an embossed finish at all sits under Custom Die Cut Stickers instead, and the full Stickers And Labels range is there for anything this specific finish doesn’t fit.
| Box Style | All Custom Packaging |
| Dimension | All Custom Sizes & Shapes |
| Quantities | 100-unit minimum order |
| Paper Stock | Kraft, corrugated, rigid board, cardstock |
| Printing | CMYK, Pantone, digital and offset |
| Finishing | Gloss, matte, spot UV, embossing, foiling |
| Shipping | Free delivery options |
Choose from premium coating, board, printing and finishing options for your insert boxes.

A transparent finishing layer available in gloss, satin, or matte effects. It enhances the printed surface and adds an extra layer of visual appeal and light protection.

A UV-cured coating applied to specific areas of the design to create gloss or matte contrast and draw attention to important details.

A smooth, velvety coating that creates a soft tactile feel and gives packaging a refined luxury look. It improves the unboxing experience and supports a high-end product presentation.

A soft, smooth lamination with a refined satin-like finish. It gives packaging a premium feel while keeping the surface elegant, subtle, and easy to handle.

A high-gloss UV coating applied only to selected design areas to create sharp contrast, highlight logos, and add a premium visual effect without coating the whole surface.

A clear, fast-drying water-based coating that adds a smooth protective layer while maintaining a clean and professional surface finish. It is a practical choice for everyday printed packaging.

A durable protective film that helps reduce visible scratches, scuffs, fingerprints, and daily handling marks. It keeps packaging looking clean, polished, and premium for longer.

A bleached kraft paperboard made from a mix of virgin and recycled pulp, offering a clean white surface for crisp and polished packaging designs.

A natural kraft paperboard without coating, made from virgin and recycled pulp. It provides a raw, organic appearance with sturdy packaging strength.

A premium bleached paperboard coated on both sides, designed for excellent print quality, die-cutting, and professional packaging results.

A high-quality bleached paperboard coated on one side. It provides a clean printable face with a premium packaging feel.

A smooth printable paper stock that supports high-resolution graphics, clean text, and rich color output for refined packaging presentation.

A natural kraft paperboard made from strong virgin and recycled pulp. It provides an organic, earthy look for sustainable and simple packaging.

A specialty paperboard with a laminated metallic surface available in gold, silver, and other premium finishes for luxury visual impact.

A specialty paperboard with a laminated holographic surface that creates a reflective, rainbow-like appearance for eye-catching product packaging.

A recycled duplex paperboard with a white printable surface. It is ideal for economical packaging that still requires clean graphics and brand presentation.

A kraft board with a smooth clay-coated white face for quality printing and a natural kraft reverse side for a strong, authentic appearance.

A kraft paperboard with a clay-coated printable top surface and a natural unbleached kraft back. It balances clean branding with a rustic natural look.

A duplex paperboard made with recycled pulp and a coated white printable surface. It delivers smooth print results for affordable carton packaging.

A black-dyed kraft board with a natural paper texture and excellent strength. It creates a bold, premium look for luxury and specialty packaging.

A packaging technique where a die-cut opening is covered with a transparent film, allowing the product inside to remain visible while staying protected.

An embossing technique where the raised design is precisely aligned with printed artwork to improve detail, texture, and overall presentation.

A finishing process in which heat and pressure transfer metallic foil to the surface, creating a premium, shiny, and luxurious effect.

A premium finishing method that combines embossing with foil stamping to create a raised design with metallic color and strong visual impact.

A decorative process that transfers foil onto selected areas of the surface using UV-curable adhesive, creating a bright metallic effect with sharp detail.

A technique that raises a design from the surface without ink or foil, giving packaging a clean, elegant, and textured appearance.

A finishing technique that presses a design into the material to create a recessed impression without using ink or foil. It adds subtle depth and a refined tactile effect.

A fast-curing printing process that uses ultraviolet light to dry ink instantly, delivering sharp detail, vibrant colors, and a premium finish.

A durable printing method that uses a mesh screen and stencil to apply ink to surfaces. It is ideal for bold colors and high-impact packaging designs.

A traditional high-quality printing process that transfers designs from plates to a rubber blanket before printing, making it ideal for large-volume production.

A modern printing method that does not require printing plates, making it cost-effective and efficient for short runs, sample production, and small-batch quantities.

Built with three corrugated layers between four linerboard sheets, providing heavy-duty strength for large or industrial packaging needs.

A standard corrugated structure with one fluted medium and two linerboards, providing dependable strength for everyday packaging.

A corrugated sheet with one flute layer between two liners, offering lightweight strength for protective packaging.

An ultra-thin flute grade designed for lightweight packaging, small retail boxes, and high-quality printed presentation.

A slim flute grade with a flatter surface, ideal for detailed printing, display packaging, and premium retail boxes.

Made with two layers of corrugated medium between linerboard sheets, offering added strength and durability for heavier products.

A versatile corrugated flute that offers balanced compression strength, cushioning, and printability for many packaging applications.

A thinner flute grade with a smooth surface, making it suitable for high-quality printing, precise die-cutting, and neat retail packaging.

A thick corrugated flute profile that provides excellent cushioning, compression strength, and stacking support for protective packaging.

A coated linerboard with an off-white surface, suitable for high-quality printing and a refined packaging appearance.

An unbleached kraft linerboard made from recycled paper pulp, offering a natural look with strong durability for eco-conscious packaging.

A coated semi-gloss linerboard with a smooth white surface, ideal for sharp printing, premium presentation, and retail-ready packaging.

A fully bleached corrugated board with a bright white surface, designed to produce clean, vibrant, and high-quality printed packaging.

A UV-cured ink that dries instantly under ultraviolet light and creates crisp, high-quality print results on a wide range of packaging materials.

A plant-based ink made with soybean oil, offering rich color output and a more sustainable printing option for carton packaging.

A standardized color-matching system used to achieve consistent, accurate brand colors across packaging, labels, and printed materials.

A full-color printing process using cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks to create vibrant images, gradients, and detailed packaging artwork.
Real feedback from customers who trust us with their custom packaging.
Clear answers about ordering, artwork, production, materials and delivery.
Orders start from 100 units. Standard production takes 6 to 8 business days after approval. UK delivery is free.
The reverse stays hidden once the sticker is applied, so it's less a visible problem and more a lie-flat one. A heavy emboss pushed into too light a material can leave the surface slightly uneven exactly where the adhesive needs full, flat contact to hold properly. Tell us the material you're leaning towards and we'll flag it if the depth needs adjusting for it.
Yes, though it's worth choosing deliberately rather than by default. Layering foil or colour over the raised shape means lining it up precisely with the embossed detail, an extra production step. That's worth it where the colour or metallic lift is doing real work, less so where the raised shape on its own already carries the design.
An unlaminated paperboard construction may be easier to process through suitable paper-recycling streams than a heavily laminated alternative. A sticker's own face stock, adhesive coat and liner sit outside that comparison as a bonded mix rather than one material on its own, and the embossed finish makes no difference either way. Final recyclability depends on the full material and finishing specification and the facilities available locally.