What is soft-touch lamination?
Soft touch is a special type of lamination with a soft, velvet or peach-skin feel. The surface looks matte and leaves a distinctly smooth texture in the hand. It is chosen for perfume, cosmetic and gift boxes to give a premium impression.
Soft touch looks like matte lamination, but the difference is in the touch. When you run a fingertip across the surface, you feel a soft, slightly dense texture instead of slipperiness. That feeling pays off on boxes where the in-hand experience matters, especially perfume, cosmetic and gift packaging.
It also differs in appearance: colors deepen a little and light reflection nearly disappears. Combined with foil, emboss or spot UV, the contrast between matte and shine stands out; this combination is a classic choice for a luxury impression.
Soft touch has some risks. The surface can show fingerprints and oil marks, it can wear with rubbing over time, and scratches are more visible on dark colors. It costs more than plain matte lamination, and not every printer stocks the same film. So settle the choice with your printer before printing and, if possible, ask for a sample.
For high volumes, tight budgets, or jobs such as food and electronics where a plain look is enough, matte lamination is the more practical route. Soft touch earns its place where a tactile premium effect makes a real difference.
How you do this in Grapxo
You can choose a soft-touch surface coating in the Finishes screen; the printer does the application. If your supplier does not offer it, agree on matte or another coating with your printer.
For a comparison, see Soft-touch or matte lamination?.
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