Duplexing

Duplexing is the process of manually adhering two sheets of card together to create an even thicker card - double thick in fact. 

Triplexing uses the same process but involves literally gluing three sheets of paper together (triple thick). Using this technique, you can create a sandwich effect with different coloured stocks (think of a liquorice allsort!).

Luxuriously thick invitations and business cards won't be forgotten in a hurry, that's for sure. You just can't help folding them over and over in your hands, marvelling at their lusciousness.

You only get one chance to make a first impression, so why not create high-touch, holy sh*t stationery that'll make people remember you.

There are some limitations to the duplexing technique though. Not all stocks are compatible with each other due to differences in texture and moisture absorption. For example, if one stock is more absorbent than the other, it can cause the duplexed paper to curl. Although slight curling can be expected due to humidity and the manual process, this can be minimised by keeping to the same stock families – though you can definitely use different colours to create a stunning effect.

When using duplexing in combination with digital printing, there are also some important things to consider. When printing digitally, we can experience 1-2mm movement in any direction as the stock moves through the machine, so each sheet can potentially be ever so slightly different.

When you add duplexing (which is a process that we do completely by hand) to the equation, this can create a bit of further movement – so you may find some variations in alignment due to the nature of the process. Please design with this in mind.