At any networking event or industry convention, you’re bound to receive – and hand out – a stack of cardstock in the form of business cards. Roughly 100 billion business cards are still printed every year globally, according to Lynkle. But while paper is still the go-to choice, it’s far from the only way to make an impression. Alternatives include stainless steel, lenticular prints, functional tools – such as cards that double as bottle openers – and even, incredibly, edible creations. Rather than covering every unique and tasty option, however, let’s focus on one of the sleekest types for now: clear business cards.
Made of a hardy transparent or translucent plastic, these modern cards can raise your profile at that upcoming business summit. In the following article, we’ll introduce the benefits of using clear business cards, reveal the sectors they shine most brightly in, and share tips for adapting your design to a frosted finish. In other words, just keep reading and everything will become clear!
What Are Clear and Frosted Business Cards?
There are two types of plastic business cards: clear and frosted. Clear business cards are marginally thicker than paper, but they remain lightweight and flexible, so the cards can slip comfortably into your pocket without feeling bulky or rigid. Most importantly, clear cards are exactly what the name suggests: completely transparent. Think of it like a window, which allows the viewer to see through the glass as light passes freely from one side to the other.
Meanwhile, frosted business cards produce a similar effect. They’re made from the same plastic as our clear variant, but they also feature a matte finish that’s translucent or semi-transparent. To continue the window analogy, frosted plastic resembles opaque or obscured glass. Light can still pass through, but the surface diffuses it to create an eye-catching sheen or luster. Despite the cloudy material, then, you won’t receive a frosty reception with these in your business card holder!
What Are the Benefits of Clear and Frosted Cards?
The chief advantage of frosted and clear business cards lies in their durability. Unlike paper-based cards, which are susceptible to water damage and eventually decompose, a plastic business card can last years. And while clear cards are initially more expensive than paper cards, you shouldn’t need to replenish your supply as often, which can net you savings in the long run.
That a plastic card can survive being crumpled in someone’s wallet is also related to the “subtle perceived value” of clear cards. Because of their credit card-like feel, customers will attribute a “heightened worth” to your company, according to Primoprint. Even the most disinterested client may be loath to discard them, simply because of the premium material. That your card can’t be thrown away in a cavalier fashion will have a subconscious impact on your clientele as well. By presenting them with such a sturdy, high-quality card, the implication is that your brand, too, can weather challenges. The message is that you’re built to last, don’t cut corners on the finer details, and are, almost literally, made of strong stuff.
How Do I Design These Cards on Zazzle?
Technically, creating a clear card is no different from creating any other kind of business card. The easiest route is to customize a design our Independent Creators have uploaded. A template helps you to visualize a finished product early on, and adding your own information is usually a simple matter of replacing their placeholder details. Here’s the process, step by step:
- Navigate to our main business card page.
- Isolate the clear and frosted cards by hovering over the ‘Add Filter’ button and checking the ‘Material’ box. Then you can restrict the search results to just ‘Clear Plastic’ and ‘Frosted Plastic.’
- Click on a thumbnail you like and then on ‘Personalize this design’ to see a close-up of the product. Make your changes and click on the ‘Next’ button to finalize your ‘Corner Style’ (Square or Rounded) and ‘Material’ (Clear and Frosted).
- Look over your work by hitting the ‘Review’ button. Any inconsistencies or stock content that hasn’t been personalized will be highlighted here.
- Add the item to your cart and consider your latest enterprise a clear success!
Alternatively – we do love options here at Zazzle – you can create a custom business card with a blank template. In this scenario, you won’t have the guiding hand of a Creator at your back. On the other hand, since clear business cards only require a design on the front, there are fewer decisions to make. And for those judgments you do have to make, sharpen your skills with “How to Design Your Own Unique Business Card on Zazzle“!
What Are Some Tips for Designing My Clear Cards?
As we mentioned, clear and frosted cards are single sided. Due to the transparent material, were a design to be added to both the front and back of the card, you would see elements from both sides blend together. To avoid confusion and to keep things simple, we recommend a stripped-back approach for these minimalist cards. Incorporate just a few lines of text: your name, the company’s name, and one or two ways to contact you. An overstuffed card could limit the ‘wow’ factor of the clear material, which you want people to notice and admire!
To further ensure that your clear card impresses, stick to thick lines and bold colors. Thin outlines and faint hues can easily disappear into a clear or cloudy background. Additionally, on a typical paper card, any uncustomized space will be printed as white, i.e., the color of paper. On a clear card, however, any empty space will be transparent or translucent – just like the plastic finish itself. On Zazzle, a white layer can be applied with the ‘Background’ or ‘Elements’ buttons. This is a subtle difference when compared to paper cards, but it’s important to remember if your design uses white. QR codes also work best in high contrast – that’s why black and white are used most often – so add a white layer before inserting your code.
Who Uses Clear Business Cards?
Although clear business cards can stand out in any sector, there are a few industries where they’re particularly well suited. For example, “photographers and creatives love clear cards because the material itself communicates artistry.” In fact, they may enjoy the creative challenge of working with a clear canvas and adopting a less-is-more philosophy. Because of their avant-garde aesthetic, clear business cards are also an excellent choice for those looking to position themselves at the forefront of fashion, technology, or design.
Most clear business cards are clean and simple in their designs. Essentially, you want the material to ‘do the talking,’ rather than overburdening it with information. This sparse style might suit someone working in a clinical environment or cleaning-related profession, hoping to convey a polished, down-to-business approach. Because of their longevity, clear cards also work well as loyalty or appointment cards for beauty and salon professionals. Ultimately, though, you’re free to experiment!
Now that you can tell a clear card from a frosted card at a hundred paces, you may finally want to design your own! And as with any venture, it pays to have a strategy before you get to work. Fortunately, we have an article for almost every aspect of business card design, from generating a QR code (“15 Innovative QR Codes for Business Cards“) to experimenting with typefaces (“Choosing the Best Font for Your Business Card“). We also recently introduced three other types of card – foil, spot UV, and foil & spot UV – which are sure to make an impression.
What’s the best or most unusual business card you’ve ever seen? Would you consider a clear or frosted card for your next order? Let us know in the comments below!
Eoin is a Content Specialist at Zazzle in Cork. He’s recently bought a house with his fiancée, and thus most of his time these days is spent trying to keep the walls from caving in and the wolves from the door. Still, he’s always open to book, game, and movie recommendations, so if you have some, let him know: he’ll add them to a very, very long list.
