Concepts for Die-Cut Business Cards

Cutting your business card into a unique shape will create a memorable leave behind for friends and business associates.

Die cutting is when irregular shapes are cut into paper using a die. A die is a device that's created, usually out of metal, and pressed into the paper to cut the shape. Dies are available in standard and custom shapes.

Size and Shape

Most business cards are rectangular in shape and measure 3 inches wide by 2 1/2 inches tall. Using a die-cut shape for your business cards will help your card stand out in the stack. While any shape will stand out more than a regular rectangle, choosing a shape that relates to your business or product is recommended.

Production

The first step to producing die-cut business cards is to talk to your print vendor. The vendor will create the vector-based file of the selected shape. Then a metal die will be created based on the shape and the die will be used to cut the paper into shapes.

Do-It-Yourself

If you only need a few cards, you can create your own. Craft stores sell decorative paper punches that act like dies. Print your information on card stock and cut the cards with the punch. You can also use die cutting machines to cut custom and more decorative shapes.

References

• Glossary of Printing & Graphic Terms

Resources

• Xyron Wishblade
• Silhouette SD