Laminating is one of the most popular and effective ways to protect and preserve documents of practically any size, from ID badges and photographs to in-store signage and award certificates. While most documents are laminated using clear laminating pouches, there is a vast array of bright and colorful decorative laminating pouches that can be used to enhance your documents. In this post, we learn more about decorative laminating pouches and share an overview of some of the exciting styles that are available.

Framed Laminating Pouches
Colored Laminating Pouches

The Basics

Like all thermal laminating pouches, decorative laminating pouches use heat to create a seal. To laminate a document using a decorative laminating pouch, simply open the pouch, insert your document so that it is centered within the pouch, and feed it through your pre-heated pouch laminator (using a carrier if required – refer to the instruction manual for your laminator for specific information). As the pouch passes through the machine, the adhesive inside melts and fuses with the document. The outer edges of the pouch create a seal that helps to protect the document from moisture and other elements.

There are two main styles of decorative laminating pouches – colored pouches and framed pouches. Colored laminating pouches are made up of one layer of clear laminating film and one layer of colored film. The clear layer is placed on top of the document so that the information shows through, while the exposed portion colored layer (which appears around the outer edge of your sheet) creates an accent border. Though the colored film layer is somewhat translucent, attempting to use it on top of the printed portion of your document would reduce the clarity of any text. Framed laminating pouches are made from two layers of clear laminating film, one of which has an image printed along the outside border of the top layer. Available themes range from professional-looking certificate borders and wood textures to festive birthday greetings and happy faces.

Both colored laminating pouches and framed laminating pouches are available in a few different sizes as well as a variety of colors and/or themes. While decorative pouches do create make laminated documents stand out more than traditional clear pouches, their price point is a bit higher than comparable clear pouches and there are fewer size variations.

Uses

Decorative laminating pouches have a wide variety of uses for both personal and professional applications. For the home user, they’re an excellent way to preserve favorite photographs for scrapbooks or photo albums, to add color to child’s school report or presentation, to make custom placemats for kids, and much more. In the office, they can be used for color-coded event badges, signage (both to promote sales to customers and for internal use), pricelists (i.e. red for wholesale, blue for retail), training materials, and much more. Individuals and organizations that already own a laminator will find decorative pouches to be an affordable way to make laminated documents stand out even more.

In Review

Decorative laminating pouches are an easy and effective way to make a bold and colorful statement on your next laminating project. From professional applications like color-coded ID badges and eye-catching signs and displays to personal projects like scrapbooking and crafting, decorative laminating pouches offer almost limitless possibilities. While they work exactly the same as clear thermal laminating pouches, decorative pouches are a bit more expensive and come in fewer sizes. However, the added impact of either a colorful background or an ornate frame makes decorative laminating pouches a popular choice for organizations and individuals alike.

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