Production guide
Hotel key card printing and finishes
The print specification behind a luxury finish.
Luxury is usually the result of restraint and process control. This guide sets the working file, bleed, colour and proofing expectations before the selected material and finish move into production.
Product image direction · physical sample approved before production
Best suited to
Hotel key card printing and finishes
- 01
New hotel artwork programmes
- 02
Bilingual Arabic and English layouts
- 03
Premium foil and tactile finishes
- 04
Repeat runs with controlled colour
Production file
Specifications before quotation.
Dimensions, tolerances, finish and documentation are confirmed in the quotation for the selected construction and production batch.
Construction specification
| Finished size | 85.6 × 54 mm for standard ID-1 cards |
|---|---|
| Corner radius | 3.18 mm standard; dieline supplied for alternatives |
| Bleed | 3 mm beyond every trimmed edge |
| Safe area | 3 mm minimum inside the cut line |
| Dieline | Final production dieline follows construction confirmation |
Print and finishing specification
| Image resolution | 300 ppi at final placed size |
|---|---|
| Colour | CMYK; spot references named separately |
| Small type | 6 pt target minimum; fine/reversed type reviewed |
| Minimum line | 0.25 pt target; finish-dependent |
| Rich black | Set only to the approved production profile |
| Finishes | Foil, spot gloss, tactile varnish, emboss, deboss, laser or UV print by material |
Artwork supplied by you
| File format | Print-ready vector PDF |
|---|---|
| Fonts | Outlined, with live copy supplied separately for bilingual checking |
| Images | Embedded or packaged at full resolution |
| Finish layers | Foil, gloss, white ink, laser and cut paths named separately |
| Variable data | CSV/XLSX with one clean record per credential |
| Proof notes | State the finish, face, position and any non-printing zones |
From material to approved production
Four visible approval points.
- 01
Confirm material, construction and production dieline.
- 02
Preflight the bilingual artwork and finish layers.
- 03
Approve colour proof and physical finish sample as required.
- 04
Lock the approved file and produce against the recorded revision.
Buyer guidance
Turn luxury artwork into production instructions
Premium finish depends on disciplined files. Separate foil, spot varnish, embossing, laser and variable data into named production layers; define safe areas and minimum detail; and approve critical colour on the selected substrate. The result should be repeatable on reorder, not only attractive in one mock-up.
Read the luxury key card design guideSpecification questions
Before choosing the material.
Is a screen PDF a colour standard?
No. Screen appearance varies. Critical colours need a physical reference or approved print proof.
Can foil sit over every material?
No. Adhesion and heat response depend on the surface, so the finish stack is tested on the selected construction.
Do Arabic files need outlined text?
The print PDF should contain outlined fonts, while live Arabic copy should also be supplied separately for content checking.
Start with the sample