Source: Giant Sports Cards
Curious about the trading cards production? The CardMakers team is here to clear things up and show you what happens behind the scenes.
This article will take you through the journey of a trading card from conception all the way through to the finished product.
At Card Makers, we redefine the art of marketing through the power of print.
Our mission is to infuse creativity and innovation into every custom trading card and deck we craft, providing our clients with a unique tool to showcase their products, services or anything that comes to mind! We believe in the tangible magic of print, standing apart from the usual digital clutter.
Concept and Design
The complexity of trading card production is in the design and its preparation for production.
This is the reason our team spends most of their time crafting designs and making sure every card you are to hold in your hands delivers an exceptional experience. Everything starts with an idea or inspiration. Then this idea is transformed into a real design that delivers your brand message.
Source: QinPrinting
If you already have something in mind, we are eager to hear you out and create that unique deck of cards. Otherwise, we have plenty of custom card templates that you can select from and we’ll make sure we customize every template with your brand colors, images and icons, photos, etc. We have a strong in-house design team, so you won’t have to worry about looking for the right team to bring your idea to life or make modifications to existing designs.
As soon as you fall in love with one of the designs that our team produced for you, we will work with you until we have an entire deck of cards fully customized and ready for printing.
Look and Feel
Now that you have your dream design in place, it is time to think a little more about the feel aspect of your deck. That means, selecting the right paper quality, packing, print quality, etc.
If you are not sure, what would be the right selection, our team is there to help you out with the perfect deck specifications to deliver the top-notch customer experience. We do not use low-quality materials, hence, chances are your deck will be pleasant to hold, use, and share.
Source: CardMakers
When the selection of the material is done, our design team prepares everything for printing and sends it to production.
The Printing Process
The printing process itself starts with large sheets coming from the printing machine. These sheets are then cut into individual cards. They are sorted and placed on a conveyor belt.
In the collectible trading card world, this is where the card's rarity would come into play, with planning done to alter how many cards are printed. Custom trading cards like the ones we offer are printed in standard amounts to order, depending on how many cards are required.
The Collator: Choreographing Pack Composition
The collator – an advanced machine – is crucial in the card packaging process. It's set up to mix the cards randomly or in a specific order. Different sections of the collator are responsible for sorting the regular and unique cards.
Coating
The last step is to apply the paint coating, which is a very thin protective finish. This coating helps to protect the card surface from scratches or other damage and is a crucial part of the production process; without it, the trading cards will not last as long.
Souce: OnlyBlogs3
From Sheets to Shrink-wrap
The production of card decks involves several meticulous steps. Each parent sheet of cards is fed through a trimming machine, cut to size and shape, and then the cards are stacked into decks.
Tuck boxes, too, are shaped using a die-cut method tailored to the card count. After trimming, the cards go through a process to smooth edges and round corners. A linen texture is often added using a heavy metal roller for a tactile feel. Finally, the cards are assembled into boxes, sealed, and shrink-wrapped, ready for distribution.
What About Holographic Cards?
The process of making holographic cards is more complex.
Souce: VIP Cards
Specialized printers apply both white and colored ink onto sheets that have a foil base. The way the white ink is used under the colors creates a shimmering holographic effect. The specifics of this process can vary a lot between manufacturers, but the general idea remains the same.
Quality Matters
For better quality and durability, it’s worth using thicker cardstock, consulting specialized printers, and considering protective measures like UV-coating and inkjet fixative sprays. We offer various printing options and advice to ensure your custom trading cards are as durable as possible.
Delivery
After the cards have been printed and packaged, it’s time to send them out for delivery. We offer rapid delivery throughout the US and package our cards carefully to ensure they are in top condition when they arrive.
Source: Geodis
Cardmaker’s Unique Offer
Here at Cardmakers, we make the trading card printing process as straightforward as possible, allowing you to create a wide range of custom trading cards using one of our custom templates.
These innovative ways to boost your business can be used in many ways. Showcase your product line to prospective customers, present your team with their own personal trading card, let customers know about existing promos with promotional trading cards and many more.
