Custom Flat Greeting Cards

Sizes and Envelopes

The most popular flat card sizes follow standard paper formats so they fit common envelopes. A6 is a good choice for parcel inserts and thank-you notes, small enough to tuck into most packaging. A5 gives more room for a message or a larger image and works well for invitations and client cards. Square cards get noticed precisely because they are less common, though they need a square envelope and may cost more to post.

If you are sending cards by post rather than inside a parcel, choose an envelope at the same time. A C6 envelope takes an A6 card, and a C5 takes A5. Coloured or kraft envelopes add another layer of personality and help the card get opened rather than mistaken for junk mail. A card meant to be mailed on its own without an envelope is covered under printed postcards for direct mail.

Designing Both Sides With Purpose

Treat the front as the headline. A single striking image, an illustration, your logo on a bold colour or a short phrase such as thank you or welcome is usually more effective than trying to say everything at once. If the card will stand on a desk, design the front so it looks good as a small piece of artwork.

The back is where the conversation happens. For parcel inserts, a short thank-you message, a discount code for the next order and your social handles work well together. For client cards, leave a clear area for a handwritten note and keep printed text minimal. Remember to leave margins of a few millimetres from the edge so nothing important is trimmed off.

A useful test is to print a draft on your home printer at actual size and hold it at arm length. If the front message is hard to read or the back feels crowded, simplify. Cards that carry one clear idea tend to be kept, while cards that try to cover a full product range read like advertising and get thrown away with the packaging. A simpler thank-you card for order parcels often does the job for online shops.

Finishes That Make a Card Memorable

Finishes add texture and sparkle without changing the size or format. Foil stamping in gold, silver, copper or a coloured foil is the most popular upgrade, well suited to a logo or a single word on the front. Spot UV adds a glossy raised area against a matt background, which catches the light as the card moves. Embossing and debossing press a design into the board so it can be felt as well as seen.

Rounded corners make a card feel friendlier and stop corners from getting bent in a parcel. Painted edges, where the edges of a thick card are coloured, create a striking line of colour that shows when the card is held. Keep in mind that a soft-touch laminate on the back can make writing harder, so if you plan to handwrite, leave the back uncoated. Foil, spot UV and painted edges are compared in the print and finish options guide.

Ways Businesses Use Flat Greeting Cards

E-commerce brands put them in parcels to thank customers and encourage repeat orders. Restaurants and cafés use them for gift vouchers and loyalty offers. Estate agents send them to new homeowners. Photographers and artists print their own work on the front and sell them as cards or include them with orders. Wedding planners, florists and event companies use them as thank-you cards after an occasion.

Charities send flat cards to donors to show appreciation, and schools use them to celebrate pupils or thank volunteers. Because a flat card is easy to handle and inexpensive to post, it suits both small personal runs and larger campaigns where every recipient gets the same message.

A small but effective idea for online shops is a set of rotating designs. Instead of one card in every parcel, print three or four fronts and pack them at random. Repeat customers get a different card each time, which keeps the gesture feeling fresh rather than routine. Our guide to how custom pricing works explains why four designs on one run cost little more than one.

Choose the Envelope Before the Card Size

Flat cards are posted or slipped into parcels, so the envelope decides the card. A C6 envelope takes an A6 card, a C5 takes A5, and a 150 mm square card needs a square envelope that costs more to post. Decide how the card travels, pick the envelope, and size the card 3 mm smaller each way so it slides in without catching. If you plan to handwrite on the back, say so, because a soft-touch laminate makes a pen skip.

Send the size, board and finish, the number of designs and if envelopes are needed, and a custom quote comes by email within one working day, with cards from £0.25 each and minimums set per job. The free proof shows the front and back side by side with trim and margin lines, which is the moment to check spelling. Production takes 4 to 7 working days after approval and delivery is free and tracked to UK mainland addresses in 2 to 3 working days; cards that arrive misprinted or marked are reprinted or refunded if reported within 10 days. Cards sold as a boxed set use the greeting card boxes for sets of cards.