Looking for a good place to get business cards...

[MGLDyson]

So I will be doing some letterhead and business card work for a client and I would like to know where would be a good press to get those things printed. I will be handling the design end of the work but I don't know if the presses close-by can produce the type of finished product I want.

What I am looking for:

I really like specialty papers like those from French Paper Company. The Speckletone stuff is really cool. It's a paper that has the fibers left in it which gives it a rough texture. They have some tear-out ads in either HOW mag, CMYK mag, or Print mag which are really neat and use said paper with some nice ink... any idea of a place that can produce that sort of thing, in letterhead and business card format?

I may look into some embossing or laser-cutting. So any suggestions?

Thanks, and I'll post the results when finished and I get the go ahead from the client.

[MGLDyson]

Oh yeah, I've bought from Modern Postcard before and have been really satisfied with their BCs but I think I am looking into some more specialty services where I can choose my own paper with possible cutting or embossing.

[Viridis]

Check your local listings and see if there's any print shops nearby you. Local shops will almost always be better than big chains and you have the bonus of being able to go in and talk to them and get exactly what you want.

That's my only advice. I haven't done much design work that needs to be printed in such a mass format.

Although, the other thing you could do is go to the bookstore and pick up some art magazines-- especially the modern design magazines like Juxtapoz or HOW or whatever will have dozens of advertisement for print companies, usually at pretty reasonable prices.

[Qitsune]

I'd go local too, it's much easier to be able to drop by and look at proofs than trust them or wait for proofs in the mail. It's not like printers were a niche rare market, every little town has at least a handful.

[MGLDyson]

Thanks for the replies, so far. In my second post I mentioned that I have been looking at some magazines like HOW and such. Also, concerning the local shops, as I mentioned in my first post, I am not sure the local places will be able to handle the specialty work I am looking into. I will approach them though and see what they can do for me. I did work for a local print shop a almost ten years ago. Though, I am pretty certain most of the printing will have to be sent out seeing that I am wanting some specialty stuff.

So yeah, if anyone has had some specialty printing done with embossing and laser etching and whatnot, let me know your recommendations.

Again, thanks for the replies,so far.