01 Laminate what lives long and is touched often
Menus, business cards, catalogue covers, price lists, loyalty cards — all pass through many hands. Laminate pays off richly here: the product lasts several times longer and does not wear out in a week.
02 Do not laminate single-use materials
A flyer handed out in a day, an event programme or a promo leaflet will not feel the lamination — only your budget will. For these jobs thicker paper is better: adds solidity, costs less.
03 Matte, glossy or soft-touch?
Matte — restrained, premium, hides fingerprints, but colours become softer. Glossy — makes colours and photos pop, suits product catalogues. Soft-touch — a velvety surface you want to touch; the priciest, but creates a wow moment on a card or box.
04 Laminate and sustainability
Laminated paper is harder to recycle. If sustainability matters to your brand, consider thicker uncoated paper or dispersion varnish — it protects without changing recyclability.
05 A quick decision algorithm
Used longer than a week? Touched daily? In contact with moisture? At least one yes — laminate will pay off. All no — choose thicker paper and save.