Litho Lamination: Packaging’s High-Definition Makeover

Welcome to the first installment of our Knowledge Base series, where we break down print and packaging jargon with a healthy dose of humor. Today’s topic? Litho Lamination—don’t let the name intimidate you!

Behind this weighty term hides the bread and butter of the packaging industry. Litho lamination is the printing magic behind most of the packaging on retail shelves. Just take a look next time you’re strolling through a store or eyeing a window display.

It’s all about the looks, right? Imagine your favorite cereal box strutting down a runway. It’s not just any box; it’s a box with an outfit. That outfit? It’s litho lamination. In simple terms, litho lamination is when you take a high-quality printed sheet (usually on fancy paper) and glue it onto corrugated cardboard to make it look sleek, sharp, and ready for the shelves. It’s like giving a cardboard box a high-definition makeover.

So how do we get from plain cardboard to a vibrant, eye-catching material? It starts with two plates—one positive and one negative. The positive plate loves oil-based inks but hates water, while the negative plate is the opposite, repelling oil and soaking up water. This dynamic duo helps transfer those sharp, vibrant images onto your packaging.

Now, you might be asking, “Is litho lamination the right choice for me?” If your project requires high-volume print runs, litho lam can be a cost-effective way to produce retail-ready packaging at a large scale. Need proof? Historically, litho lam has been the best way to achieve a retail-ready finished product. Any drawbacks? Litho lamination relies on print plates to transfer images onto packaging, which is fantastic for mass production but can get a bit pricey if you’re aiming for customized campaigns. 

We’ve hit you with just enough information to keep things interesting without putting you to sleep. Did we tickle your curiosity? Just give us a shout. Our team of print and packaging advisors is always just a phone call or email away.