The finishing touch is no longer an option for packaging. Businesses that provide high-end products, such as electronics, jewelry, or cosmetics, add a finishing touch to their packaging to make it look more luxurious. This is where soft-touch coating and soft-touch lamination become popular. Both options add an excellent layer of tactile appeal, making product packaging visually exclusive and smooth to the touch. But the question is, which option is best for your packaging? Let’s explore and differentiate them to choose the right one!
What Is Soft Touch Coating?
A soft-touch coating is a finish applied to custom packaging that gives it a velvety, matte, silky texture. It enhances product packaging by making it feel more luxurious, improving texture, and providing a protective layer against fingerprints and scratches.
How Soft Touch Coating Works?
Soft-touch coating is applied in liquid form, usually as an inline process, after the printing ink. Then, a dry powder is electrostatically applied and cured with heat, as seen with some powder coating products, to get the “soft feel” texture. This method provides better rub resistance and creates a thicker coating, resulting in a softer feel.
Characteristics and Benefits of Soft Touch Coating
Used on high-end product packaging, such as premium rigid boxes, this coating is ideal for cosmetics, electronics, and luxury goods to enhance shelf appeal.
Below are the characteristics and benefits of using soft touch coating.
- Tactile feel: The coating creates a soft, suede-like texture that enhances a product’s perceived quality.
- Visual effect: It offers a sophisticated, modern look without a glossy sheen, which can also help to tone down bright colors on dark prints.
- Enhanced grip: The texture reduces surface slip, improving grip and reducing the risk of dropping it.
- Durability: It provides a protective layer that resists fingerprints, scuffs, and scratches.
Given its characteristics and benefits outlined above, a soft-touch coating is an excellent choice for giving your packaging a smooth, premium look and feel.
What Is Soft Touch Lamination?
Soft touch lamination is a film-based finishing technique that applies a thin layer of plastic film (BOP or PET) to a printed material using heat and pressure. This technique enhances the tactile experience, provides a premium look, and adds a protective layer that resists fingerprints, scuffs, and tears. It is often used on high-end products such as business cards, brochures, and custom packaging to create a more sophisticated, durable finish.
How Soft Touch Lamination Works?
A soft-touch film is bonded to the printed surface using heat and pressure. The film is typically a transparent, textured plastic. The entire process is often described as a blend of suede or chamois leather.
Characteristics and Benefits of Soft Touch Lamination
Soft touch lamination on packaging looks like a standard matte finish. However, it works better to add extra depth and appeal to the sense of touch. The smooth, velvety feel of this lamination creates a memorable experience for customers who hold your products.
Below are the characteristics and benefits of using soft touch coating.
- Tactile feel: The lamination provides a velvety, smooth, and soft texture that enhances touch.
- Visual effect: It gives a premium, high-end appearance, often with a matte finish that can make colors seem smoother and richer, especially in darker shades.
- Durability: It creates a protective barrier against scratches, scuffs, and fingerprints.
With the characteristics and benefits above, soft-touch lamination can give your packaging a subtle appearance with an even softer feel.
To make it easier to choose, see the comparison table below.
| Features | Soft Touch Coating | Soft Touch Lamination |
| Color Consistency |
|
Prevents color changes |
| Durability | Comes in different thickness levels |
|
| Tactile appeal | A soft, suede-like texture | A velvety, smooth, and soft texture |
| Visual Effect | A sophisticated, modern look | A premium, high-end appearance, |
| Cost | Economical | Costly |
What Do Soft Touch Finishes Feel Like?
As the name suggests, soft touch finishes feel soft and sleek. Product packaging with soft-touch finishing has a “velvety” softness that is soothing and enticing. Generally speaking, both soft touch coating and soft touch finish are perceived as having a delicate suede or leather feel.
Brands that offer exclusive products tend to lean heavily on the soft-touch technique compared to other finishing options, such as UV coating or Glossy coating. For example, cosmetic and perfume boxes often use soft-touch finishes to create a vibrant, feminine feel.
Soft Touch Coating vs Soft-Touch Lamination: Which One Is Best?
It can be confusing to choose between the two. Both can make your packaging boxes look more elegant, premium, and, of course, softer.
So, what is the difference between soft-touch coating and soft-touch lamination?
Soft Touch Coating
Soft-touch coating creates a sophisticated look and delivers a very satisfying tactile experience, ultimately enhancing the customer experience.
Compared to soft touch lamination, soft touch coating is:
- More economical option
- It doesn’t alter coloration and can resist yellowing on product packaging
- It doesn’t change the final quality
- It can be applied in different thickness levels
- It works with a variety of surface materials
Soft Touch Lamination
Soft-touch lamination is considered a high-end, sophisticated option that comes with a higher premium.
Compared to soft touch coating, this lamination is:
- Highly resistant to fingerprints
- It adds extra durability and strength to packaging
- Resistant to scuffs, scratches, and smudges
- Prevents color changes
- It provides a moisture barrier
When to Use Soft Touch Coating and Soft Touch Lamination?
Now, let’s get to the point: which option suits your business?
Choose soft touch coating when:
- Budget Is a Priority
Soft-touch coating is a more cost-effective option because it is applied during the printing process rather than requiring a separate step.
- Durability Is Not a Major Concern
It is less durable than lamination and might not be ideal if your products will be handled frequently or exposed to rough conditions.
- Promotional Products
It is suitable for promotional materials or products that will not be stored for extended periods. For example, you can apply soft-touch coating to PR boxes or subscription boxes.
Choose soft touch lamination when:
- Durability and Protection Are Essential
Soft-touch lamination provides a protective barrier against scratches, scuffs, and fingerprints, extending the product’s lifespan.
- Your Products Will Be Handled Frequently
It is the better choice for items like packaging that are frequently handled or shipped, such as candle boxes or apparel boxes.
- Your Products Require Long-Term Protection
Soft-touch lamination is ideal for premium packaging for luxury products that will be stored for a long time. Hence, soft touch lamination is suitable for watch boxes or custom embossed boxes.
Overall, we can say that soft-touch finishes can be used on any printed material when the brand goal is to create an understated, high-value elegance.
Wrapping Up
No doubt, soft-touch coating and soft-touch lamination have become popular for adding an excellent layer of tactile appeal, making product packaging visually exclusive and smooth to the touch.
Given its characteristics and benefits, a soft-touch coating is an excellent choice for giving your packaging a smooth, premium look and feel. Meanwhile, with the characteristics and benefits above, soft-touch lamination can give your packaging a subtle appearance with an even softer feel.
Overall, we can say that soft-touch finishes can be used on any printed material when the brand goal is to create an understated, high-value elegance.
So, which one do you think is ideal for your product?
FAQs
What is soft touch coating?
A soft-touch coating is a finish applied to custom packaging that gives it a velvety, matte, silky texture.
What is soft touch lamination?
Soft touch lamination is a film-based finishing technique that applies a thin layer of plastic film (BOP or PET) to a printed material using heat and pressure.
What’s the difference between soft touch coating and soft touch lamination?
A soft-touch coating is an excellent choice for giving your packaging a smooth, premium look and feel. Meanwhile, soft-touch lamination can give your packaging a subtle appearance with an even softer feel.
What do soft touch finishes feel like on packaging?
Product packaging with soft-touch finishing has a “velvety” softness that is soothing and enticing.
