How To Custom Greeting Cards In Bulk ?

Do you know where to buy custom greeting cards in bulk? Maybe you’re familiar with the Greeting Cards Association or have attended some greeting card exhibitions such as Progressive Greetings Live, National Stationery Show, Paperworld Frankfurt, or Reed Gift Fairs, where you can connect with many greeting card suppliers. However, you might still not know how to customize and produce luxury greeting cards. As a professional greeting cards manufacturer with OEM services in China,  we have extensive experience in producing greeting cards. Come, follow in my footsteps, you will learn how to custom greeting cards, then you can start your greeting card business more better.

1. To Determine The Type Of Greeting Cards You Want To Design.

You can choose Single Cards (also called Individual Cards), which are sold separately, or Boxed Cards, which contain multiple cards in one box (usually 8–36 pieces per box, typically with a single design). A special type of Boxed Cards is Assorted Boxed Cards, which include multiple different designs per box and are popular for their variety.

In terms of structure, there is also the Pop-Up Cards, which offers stronger visual impact, interactivity, and fun, allowing for deeper emotional expression—though it has higher production costs and longer production time. Additionally, there are more unique Musical Cards, which engage multiple senses to enhance the experience.

The production details introduced below mainly focus on handmade cards, note cards, and thank you cards, the discussions of Pop-Up Cards and Musical Cards will be covered in separate articles.

2. Start With High-Quality Greeting Cards Materials

What is greeting card paper called? and what is the weight of greeting card paper? Here are the answers: there are four common types of greeting card paper as below:

• Coated Paper Cardstock: Smooth surface with a coating, offering high color accuracy for precise printing. Its strong reflectivity enhances gloss and visual impact.
• Uncoated Paper Cardstock: Matte or slightly textured surface, with a soft and delicate feel that retains the natural texture of paper. It provides a better writing experience (e.g., ink is less likely to smudge when hand-writing blessings).
• Common weights for Coated Paper Cardstock And Uncoated Paper Cardstock: 250 gsm (durable and affordable), 300 gsm (medium hardness, moderate price), and 350 gsm (ultra-thick, premium texture, slightly higher cost).
• Recycled Paper: Balances eco-friendliness and durability, commonly used at 300 gsm.
• Specialty Paper: Features unique textures like pearlescent finishes (250–350 gsm) or linen surfaces, adding elegance.

3. Greeting Cards Standard Sizes

While custom sizes are always an option, classic sizes are both practical and aesthetically pleasing:

• 5 inches x 7 inches: The most popular size, providing ample space for designs and messages.
• Other options: Square cards (e.g., 5 inches x 5 inches) or other sizes are available.

4. Greeting Cards Printing Techniques: Balancing Color and Simplicity

Greeting cards have two main parts printing to be considered—outside and inside. they can be used with the following printing details:

• Exterior (Pages 1 and 4): Typically uses four-color (CMYK) printing for vibrant full-color designs. Pantone spot colors can be added to highlight specific areas.
• Interior (Pages 2 and 3): Choose between four-color printing, single-color accents, or leave blank for handwritten messages.

5. Greeting Cards Value-Added Applications: Elevate Your Design

After printing, the following treatments can make simple cards more luxury:

A. Surface Treatments

• Varnishing: Matte (subtle elegance) or gloss (high contrast) finishes protect text and images. For emphasizing specific elements, it can use spot UV varnishing (gloss on selected areas) or full-cover UV varnishing (entire surface gloss).
• Foil Stamping: Used for text and patterns, with options like matte, gloss, pearlescent, or holographic foil effects. you can choose foil numbers from the manufacturer’s foil swatch books.
• Glitter: Add sparkle with transparent or colored glitter, please select from glitter swatch books.
• Flocking: create a velvet-like texture with flocking (available in gold, red, black, etc.).

B. Structural Enhancements

• Embossing: 2D or 3D effects add tactile depth to patterns, monograms, or illustrations. 3D effects create better layering, with options for standard, high, or ultra-high depth embossing in different areas.
• Die Cutting: Traditional die cut is ok, and laser die cutting can create more complex shapes (e.g., lace edges, windows, or intricate contours).
• Tri-Fold Design: A three-panel layout (often used for invitations) maximizes space for storytelling, adding mystery and ceremony.

C. Interior Decorations

• Paper Inserts: 100gsm or 120gsm wood-free inserts (eco-friendly and writable), printed with CMYK or Pantone colors for writing blessings.

6. Greeting Cards Embellishments: Final Touches

Add dimension and creativity with these decorations:

• Paper Embellishments: Use adhesive foam to attach die-cut paper accessories (same material) for 3D effects.
• Non-Paper Decorations: Enhance creativity and personalization with non-paper elements, such as ribbons and bows, fabric/felt decorations, gemstones, buttons, googly eyes, pom-poms, or translucent kraft paper/acetate overlays.

When the design and production process of greeting cards is finalized, another indispensable auxiliary material—the envelope—becomes a key carrier for shaping brand texture. From paper weight to printing techniques, from size design to accessory matching, every detail of the envelope directly influences the recipient’s experiential perception and silently conveys the brand’s aesthetic expression.

7. Envelope Paper Selection: Touch as Brand Language

The envelope’s material is the user’s first tactile memory upon opening, and its texture directly communicates the brand’s attention to detail. Here are two main paper types:

Wood-Free Paper

• Lightweight Applications: 80gsm (light and portable, suitable for daily mailing).
• Classic Texture Choice: 100gsm (balances durability and handfeel).
• Premium Positioning Standard: 120gsm (heavy texture conveys quality).
• Luxury Experience Benchmark: 140gsm (collectible texture comparable to art paper).

Pearlescent Paper

Available in 120gsm and 140gsm weights, its unique pearlescent texture creates subtle metallic luster through light refraction. Ideal for holiday gifts or premium brand customization, it gives envelopes a jewelry-like visual hierarchy.

8. Envelope Size Philosophy: The Ingenuity of 0.25 Inches

To match the unique design of brand greeting cards, we recommend making the envelope size 0.25 inches larger than standard specifications. This seemingly minor adjustment hides dual value:

• Design Freedom: Provides space for complex patterns, foil stamping, embossing, etc., avoiding visual clutter.
• Upgraded Protection: Reduces edge wear when inserting cards, ensuring the product remains perfect from shipping to opening.

9. Envelope Printing Techniques: A Holistic Visual System

Envelope printing should establish an aesthetic logic of internal-external harmony:

• Exterior Printing: Typically uses CMYK or Pantone spot color techniques to achieve high-precision reproduction of brand logos and key visuals.
• Interior Treatment: Extend brand consistency with spot color printing, or maintain minimalism with blank interiors.

For a more premium touch, you can enhance your envelope with:

• Hot Stamping & Embossing: Applied to the envelope surface to enhance luxury through tactile depth and metallic shine.
• Custom Sealing Stickers: Stickers with brand logos can incorporate hot stamping/embossing, transforming the act of opening into an extension of brand ritual.

Wondering if envelopes can also have paper accessories like greeting cards?

You’re absolutely right! Envelopes can indeed be elevated with envelope liners, which usually feature solid Pantone colors or CMYK printing. For an extra touch of luxury, hot stamping can be added to the printed design.

Now, aren’t you eager to create a complete set of greeting cards that truly reflect your brand’s personality? If so, please fill in the form below, and our experts will contact you with a tailored offer within 24 hours.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Your Name *

Your Email *

Your Email Your

Message *

Send