Laser engraving is not printing. Rather, it is a process that uses a specialized laser beam to cut into an object to create a design by removing material. Many of the items that can be laser engraved can also be printed, but there are slight differences.
Laser-engraved products are typically dual-layered. The laser removes the top layer to expose the layer beneath. In the case of the colored tumblers and water bottles show in these examples, the color on top is removed to expose the silver material below.
Laser engraving can also be used to “mark” or etch onto the surface of an item. In the case of silver tumblers, the silver is marked with the laser, turning the area hit with the laser to black, seen here.
Personalized and customized awards or plaques are popular items using laser engraving on materials such as glass, crystal, acrylic, wood or metal. With these items, the laser is used to remove part of the back or front of a surface, as you can see in this example of a laser-engraved, personalized crystal flame award (below). Here is an example of a laser-engraved, personalized dark glass plaque.
On organic surfaces like wood, the laser will remove part of the surface by charring, typically turning the engraved area black, as shown here, in this example of a wooden business card holder.
Laser engraving offers an exceptional level of detail. In addition to engraving, a laser can be used to cut materials into a unique shape, as demonstrated with this Bentley car-shaped invitation example:
Custom shapes are also an option when using paper stock. This piano-shaped invitation also shows how laser cutting can create a unique marketing piece (below). Or in this example, laser cutting created an attractive wine bottle-shaped invitation, seen here.
Leatherette, a leather-like substance, is another type of a dual-layer product that engraves well, as shown in these custom black leatherette coasters, revealing a silver layer, below. Another leatherette example, are these personalized professional journal, which is a great gift idea for clients or employees, seen here.
Engraved name badges work in the same way.
For best results, lasers require specifically constructed products. It is generally not possible to ask your promotional item supplier to use laser engraving on an item you provide, such as a leather book or bag.
For organizations with full color logos, it is common to substitute full-color with colors like gold & black or silver & black when using a laser. If a logo must be in full color or specific colors, full-color printing may be the only option.
While laser engraving is a great option for quantities as small as a single item, full-color printed items typically require larger minimums. Engraved products are almost always less expensive than full-color printed items.
Most commercial printing companies do not offer laser-engraving on site. We do and we love to show off what we can do. If you have an idea for a project, please reach out to discuss how we can help you select the right materials and create a design that works for you.
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