3D Spot UV Business Cards: Everything You Need to Know
Quick answer: 3D Spot UV Business Cards combine our standard full-colour print on 450gsm silk card with a raised, tactile Scodix varnish applied to your logo or design elements. Prices start at £65 for 100 cards, with a 5 working day turnaround. Print Studio Scotland handles your order, artwork and quality control throughout, but the Scodix embellishment itself is carried out by a specialist finishing partner — the equipment required is a significant, specialist investment that very few printers own outright, us included.
What Is 3D Spot UV?
Spot UV is a clear gloss varnish applied to specific areas of a printed design. Standard spot UV, offered by most printers, is flat — shiny, but level with the surface of the card. Scodix spot UV is different: it's a digital embellishment process that builds up a genuinely raised, three-dimensional coating you can feel with your fingertip, not just see. Applied to a logo, pattern or brand mark against our Soft Touch laminate base, the contrast between smooth velvet and raised gloss is what makes these cards stand out.
Specifications at a Glance
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Size | Portrait 55mm x 85mm | Landscape 85mm x 55mm |
| Stock | 450gsm silk card, full colour both sides |
| Base finish | Soft Touch laminate, both sides |
| Spot UV | Raised Scodix varnish, one or both sides |
| Minimum order | 100 copies |
| Maximum online | 2,000 copies (bespoke pricing above this) |
| Artwork | Print-ready PDF plus a separate spot UV layer |
| Turnaround | 5 working days |
| From | £65.00 |
Why Is the Scodix Finish Outsourced?
We're upfront about this: unlike our HQ and Luxe ranges, which are printed entirely in-house at our Paisley studio, the Scodix raised-finish stage of a Spot UV card is carried out by a trusted specialist finishing partner. Scodix digital embellishment machinery is expensive and highly specialised — it's not equipment most commercial printers, including us, run on-site. Rather than offer a flat, lower-quality substitute just to keep everything under one roof, we partner with a specialist who has invested in the real thing.
What stays with us throughout: your order, your artwork checks, and quality control before your cards are dispatched. This is also exactly why Spot UV takes longer (5 working days) and costs more than HQ or Luxe — there's a genuine extra production stage, at a specialist site, built into the process.
Who Orders Spot UV Business Cards?
Spot UV is popular with creative agencies, luxury brands, financial and legal services firms, and anyone who wants their card to do some of the selling for them — particularly exhibitors and networkers who want something people remember and comment on at events.
Supplying Artwork
Spot UV cards need two files: your standard print-ready PDF, and a separate PDF showing the spot UV areas as a solid black shape. If you're not sure how to prepare this, our artwork team can create the spot UV layer for you — contact us for pricing before placing your order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 3D Spot UV printed in-house or outsourced?
The base card is printed and the order is managed by us throughout, but the raised Scodix finishing stage is carried out by a specialist outsourced partner with dedicated Scodix equipment — the same reason our 3D Foil range is also outsourced for its finishing stage.
What's the difference between Scodix spot UV and standard spot UV?
Standard spot UV is a flat gloss varnish — shiny but level with the card surface. Scodix builds up a genuinely raised, three-dimensional coating you can feel, which is a more sophisticated and durable result.
Can Spot UV be applied to both sides?
Yes — choose one side or both when ordering. Both sides costs slightly more but gives a fully finished result front and back.
How long do Spot UV Business Cards take?
5 working days, due to the additional specialist finishing stage. Contact us in advance if you have a deadline and we'll advise what's possible.
What's the difference between Spot UV and Foil?
Both use Scodix technology for a raised, tactile finish. Spot UV uses a clear gloss varnish for a shiny, dimensional effect. Foil uses metallic gold or silver for a more decorative, luxurious look. See our 3D Foil Business Cards guide for more detail.
Still Deciding?
Browse the full Business Cards collection, compare against our HQ, Luxe and Foil guides, or read why in-house printing matters for context on how we think about production. Order 3D Spot UV Business Cards directly, or get in touch if you'd like advice on artwork before you order.