A custom steel blade cuts paper into any shape you can draw. Rounded corners, arches, circles, hearts, or a silhouette specific to your brand.
Die cutting uses a custom steel blade — called a die — to cut paper into a specific shape. The die is mounted on a press and cuts through the paper in a single stroke, producing a clean, precise edge.
The die is manufactured from your artwork. Any closed shape you can draw, we can cut. The most common requests are rounded corners, arch tops, circles, hearts, and diamonds — but fully custom silhouettes are just as achievable.
Die cutting is done after printing. The piece is letterpress printed, foil stamped, or digitally printed first on a standard rectangular sheet. Then the die cuts it to shape.
This means the face of a die-cut piece can be as detailed as any standard print job. Foil stamped text, a multi-color letterpress design, a blind debossed border — all of it can be applied before the final cut.
It also means die cutting adds a step to production rather than replacing one. Plan for the additional turnaround time and cost when considering custom shapes.
Beyond hearts and diamonds, we cut arches, circles, scallops, hexagons, and silhouettes drawn specifically for a brand. The arch-top note cards above were produced for a New York jeweler — the soft curve at the top reads as more refined than a standard rectangular card without being fussy.
If you can draw it as a closed shape, we can cut it.
Custom cutting dies start at $125. A custom die is a one-time cost that depends on the size and complexity of the shape. Simple shapes like rounded corners can use standard dies we already have. Complex custom shapes require a new die to be manufactured. The die is reusable, so reorders of the same shape and size won't have a die charge.
Yes — this is how most die-cut work is done. The piece is printed or foil stamped first, then die cut to shape. Letterpress business cards with rounded corners, foil stamped arch-top wedding invitations, and die-cut hang tags with eyelets are all standard work for us.
Die cutting is precise to within about 1/32 of an inch. We account for this tolerance when setting up your files. If your design has elements that run to the edge of the cut, we will advise on safe margins to prevent content from being clipped.
Yes. Die cutting works on single sheets, duplexed stock, and even triplexed cards. Thicker stock requires a sharper die and more pressure, but the result is a clean edge that shows off the paper's layered construction.
Fresh from the die maker, then locked up in the Heidelberg and ready to cut.
Tell us what you are making and the shape you have in mind. We will advise on die options and cost.
Or call us at 1 (800) 213-6408