Demand for die-cut (custom-shaped) business cards has climbed sharply over the past year — barely a day goes by without someone asking us about them. That has kept us watching the shaped cards coming to market, and there is no shortage of them: circles, leaf shapes, ovals and every other non-rectangular outline you can think of. The reassuring part is that almost any shape can be produced with a cutting die.
Below is a tour of the most popular die-cut card designs, followed by the points to watch when you set one up.
Round cards
Round is the crowd favourite among die-cut cards. A circular cut reads as complete, settled and whole — a circle has no beginning and no end.
The one thing to watch with a round card is the diameter, because most printers lay out their cards on a 90 x 54mm slot as a single unit. That makes a 54 x 54mm circle the most economical option — though plenty of clients feel 54 x 54mm is a touch small.
If you want to go bigger, 90 x 90mm is the next sensible step: cards are charged by the slot, and 90 x 90mm is exactly the largest size that fills two card slots.
Recommended sizes: 54 x 54mm and 90 x 90mm
Leaf-shaped cards
The leaf card is a twist on the rounded-corner card: two oversized curved cuts — one at the top-left, one at the bottom-right — give the finished card its leaf-like silhouette, so it never looks as plain as a standard rounded-corner card. The shape suits feminine, artistic and creative-led brands especially well, and those two big curved corners lift the whole card visually.
You can lay a leaf card out on a normal 90 x 54mm business-card artboard. Just be careful not to push text too close to the rounded corners, or there is a real chance it gets trimmed away.
Oval cards
If rounded corners feel too restrictive, the oval is likely to become your favourite. It keeps the softness of a circle without leaving you short of room for your design and copy. An oval is also one of the most comfortable shapes for the eye to rest on — we are most at ease with shapes close to our own, and an oval echoes the human face, which earns it a few extra points.
Other custom shapes
If those outlines feel too common and you want something with more edge, you can design a card in whatever shape you like. As long as the design is not overly complex, the die charge stays the same. We have produced plenty of unusually shaped cards — most of them built around the outline of a logo, a signature mascot or object, or the brand's flagship product, which lets the card carry the brand image in full.
Whatever the outline, the one thing that matters most is that the card makes a lasting impression on the person holding it. Whatever shape you have in mind, talk it through with us — we are happy to give straight, professional advice, whether the job is high-end or everyday. We deliver across Hong Kong and Macau, and you are welcome to WhatsApp us at +852 3001 5678 (English is fine).