The Rise and Rise of Print Finishing

Special Coatings
Special gold, silver, pearlescent, rub-off and scented coatings can be utilized for luxury products. Gold and silver coatings are usually applied as spot finishes, as they would otherwise obscure the actual printed image on a folding carton due to their high metal pigment content. The same applies for pearlescent coatings, although when used with less pigmentation, they can achieve a very subtle effect and in this case be used on an entire carton. Rub-off coatings are applied over a previous coating layer. They do not bond entirely with the underlying layer and can be rubbed off. Scented coatings containing microencapsulated fragrances are added during manufacturing. When the coating has hardened on the final product, the microcapsules are permanently incorporated in the dispersion coating layer until later rubbing of the surface causes them to break open and emit their scent. New fragrances and improved processability can be expected in this segment.