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Card stock and finishes
Every deck prints on one of four card stocks. You choose the stock, the finish, and whether the fronts are holographic when you order, deck by deck.
The card stock is the paper the cards are printed on. It decides how a card feels in your hand, how thick the deck is, and how easily it shuffles. The finish is the surface on top. Neither changes your design. The same cards can be printed on any stock.
The four card stocks
Default
Standard
Smooth, high-quality card stock. About as thick as Pokémon or Magic cards. A good all-round choice, and where most decks start.
Best for playing cards
Premium Linen
A fine linen texture that lets cards slide past each other, so the deck is easier to shuffle.
Premium feel
Premium Smooth
Extra smooth, so colors shine more. It's no thicker than Standard: the difference is the surface. Lovely for tarot, art and gifts.
Thickest
Thick
Our thickest stock, with a regular smooth surface. It feels like the sports cards you'd find in a Topps pack.
Side by side
| Stock | Surface | Thickness | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Smooth | Like Pokémon or Magic cards | Trading cards, flashcards, trivia, most decks |
| Premium Linen | Linen texture | About the same as Standard | Playing cards, any deck that gets shuffled a lot |
| Premium Smooth | Extra smooth | The same as Standard | Tarot and oracle decks, gifts, keepsakes |
| Thick | Smooth | Thickest, like typical sports cards | Sports cards, collectible cards, promo cards |
Which should I choose?
Playing cards
Premium Linen. A deck you shuffle every game needs cards that slide apart cleanly, and the linen texture does that. Projects made as Playing cards always print on Premium Linen, so there's nothing to choose.
Trading cards and card games
Standard feels like the trading cards people already know, and the cards fit standard sleeves. Add a holographic front for decks you want to shine.
Sports cards
Thick, with gloss. It's the weight and shine of a card pulled from a pack. A clear plastic case shows off the top card.
Tarot and oracle decks
Premium Smooth. Tarot cards are handled slowly and laid out, and the extra-smooth surface makes the colors shine.
Flashcards, trivia and party games
Standard. It's sturdy enough for a classroom or a game night and keeps the deck easy to hold.
Gifts
Premium Smooth for something that feels like a keepsake, or Premium Linen if it's a deck people will actually play with.
Finishes
Standard or gloss
The standard finish is the one most game cards have. Gloss is shinier and makes colors look richer, which suits photos and sports cards. Gloss costs nothing extra.
Holographic front
A rainbow shine across the front of the card that moves as you tilt it. It's one switch for the deck: when it's on, every card in that deck gets it.
What holographic looks like
The shine covers the whole front of each card, artwork and text alike.
Card sizes and corners
Each project prints at one of two sizes, chosen when you start it:
- Poker size, 2.5 × 3.5 inches. The size of most playing cards, trading cards and sports cards. It fits standard card sleeves. Choose rounded or square corners.
- Tarot size, 2.75 × 4.75 inches. Taller cards with more room for art, used for tarot and oracle decks. Rounded corners only.
Rounded corners are what most people expect from a deck of cards and hold up better with handling. Square corners give a crisp, modern look. If your design has a border, see bleed and safe zones for how the edges are cut.
Questions
Which card stock is best for playing cards?
Premium Linen. Its linen texture lets cards slide past each other, so the deck is easier to shuffle and fan. Playing cards projects always print on it.
Which card stock feels like Pokémon or Magic cards?
Standard. It's smooth and about as thick as the trading cards most people know.
Does gloss cost extra?
No. Gloss costs nothing extra. Choose it when you order.
Can I make only some cards holographic?
The holographic front is one switch for the deck: when it's on, the front of every card in that deck shines.
Can I order square corners?
Yes, for poker-size cards. Tarot-size cards come with rounded corners only.