What's the difference between litho and digital print?

If you’ve ever wondered how your print comes to life behind the scenes, it usually happens through one of two methods: digital printing or litho printing. Both produce high-quality results – they just use different processes depending on the job.

Here’s a quick explainer to lift the curtain on how it all works.


Digital Printing

Digital printing works a bit like your home printer – but on a much bigger, more advanced scale. Your artwork is sent directly to the printer and applied straight onto your chosen material.

Key features of digital print:

  • Ideal for projects that need a quick turnaround

  • Allows for easy updates and version changes

  • Perfect for jobs where flexibility and speed are important


Litho (Offset) Printing

Litho printing is a more traditional method that uses metal printing plates and wet ink. These plates transfer your design onto a rubber blanket, which then rolls the image onto paper.

Key features of litho print:

  • Excellent for large-scale runs where consistency is key

  • Produces vibrant, detailed results with fine colour accuracy

  • Often used when specialist inks or finishes are required


So, why does it matter?

While you don’t need to choose which print method we use – we’ll automatically select the best fit for your job – it’s always good to know what’s going on behind the scenes. Whether your prints go through digital or litho production, rest assured they’ll be delivered to our usual high standard.

And if you ever have questions about your artwork or how it will be printed, our team is always happy to help.


Get in touch with us

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