Finishes

Matt or
Soft-Touch?

Two surfaces, two very different effects. Find out which finish suits your packaging.

Feel the difference.

Order a sample pack Compare Matt & Soft-Touch
Stand-up pouch with matt and Soft-Touch finish, matt on the left, Soft-Touch on the right
Matt
Soft-Touch

Look

Matt finish

Understated and elegant

Matt surfaces feel calm, elegant and self-assured. They break the light, reduce reflections and give your design a modern, timeless stage. Ideal for brands built on clear forms and a minimalist aesthetic.

  • Reduces reflections for a premium appearance
  • Can be combined with spot gloss: a high-gloss logo on a matt pouch, as a deliberate eye-catcher
  • Brings out colours without intrusive shine
Stand-up pouch with matt finish

Feel

Soft-Touch finish

Velvety and exclusive

Soft-Touch takes the feel to another level. The surface is velvety, almost like textile, and instantly signals “premium”. Ideal for premium brands that want to convince at the very first touch.

  • Pleasantly soft, velvety feel
  • Reinforces the perception of exclusivity
  • Fingerprints are far less visible: an advantage for anything handled a lot on the shelf
Stand-up pouch with Soft-Touch finish

Why add a finish?

Look, feel, protection: three effects in one layer

A finish is not cosmetics. It works on three levels at once, and that is exactly why premium brands treat it as standard.

Close-up of a matt surface

Look

The eye has a say.

How your design breaks the light.

Matt calms things downFewer reflections, calmer colours.
Gloss sets accentsHighlight your logo or details on purpose.
Close-up of a Soft-Touch surface

Feel

The surface sells too.

What comes across in the hand.

Velvety, not slickNoticeably soft, pleasant to hold.
People reach for itWhat feels good ends up in the basket.
Packaging with water droplets on a protected print

Protection

What looks good should stay that way.

The second job of every finish.

Against everyday wearFewer scratches, fingerprints and scuffing.
Still fresh months laterThe protective layer preserves the look, even with frequent handling.

Decision aid

Matt or Soft-Touch?

Two surfaces, two signals. Which one suits your product?

Choose Matt if…

  • your brand should come across calm, clear and timeless
  • colours should work without overpowering
  • you want to highlight individual elements with spot gloss
  • you sell specialty coffee, organic snacks or wellness products

Choose Soft-Touch if…

  • the very first touch should signal premium
  • your packaging is handled a lot on the shelf
  • fingerprints must not show
  • you sell cosmetics, boutique roasts or premium nutrition

Formats

Which finish suits which packaging?

Almost all of our packaging formats can be finished. Here you can see at a glance which combinations are possible.

Three stand-up pouches
Matt Soft-Touch

Stand-up pouch

  • SizesS to XXL
  • Capacity50 ml – 1,500 ml
  • BenefitSturdy, keeps its shape, food-safe
Three flat-bottom pouches
Matt Soft-Touch

Flat-bottom pouch

  • Sizes250 g / 500 g / 1,000 g
  • PrintableFive sides
  • BenefitPremium shelf presence
Flat pouches on a table
Matt Soft-Touch

Flat pouch

  • SizesXS to L
  • Capacity25 ml – 750 ml
  • BenefitCompact, ideal for samples
Flowpacks, sachets and stick packs
Matt Soft-Touch

Flowpacks

  • SizesFlexible
  • UseBars, snacks, sachets
  • BenefitMachine filling
Roll stock with sachets
Matt Soft-Touch

Roll stock

  • SizesFlexible
  • UseFor automated lines
  • BenefitHigh volumes

Ready for the finishing touch?

Choose format, material and finish directly in the calculator. All in one flow.

Open the calculator

Customer examples

This is how your packaging could look

Recent examples from our production.

Customer example: stand-up pouch with matt finish
Close-up of the matt surface
Matt
Customer example: stand-up pouch with Soft-Touch finish
Close-up of the Soft-Touch surface
Soft-Touch
Customer example: stand-up pouch with matt finish
Close-up of the matt surface
Matt
Customer example: stand-up pouch with Soft-Touch finish
Close-up of the Soft-Touch surface
Soft-Touch
Customer example: stand-up pouch with matt finish
Close-up of the matt surface
Matt
Customer example: stand-up pouch with matt finish
Close-up of the matt surface
Matt

Overview

All finishes compared

Which finish is possible depends on the material.

For packaging

Stand-up, flat-bottom, flat pouch, Flowpacks, roll stock

Matt finishThe quiet classic

Matt, smooth

Standard protection

Everyday classic

Soft-TouchThe premium card

Matt, velvety

Standard protection

Premium feel · Anti-fingerprint

For labels

Film and paper

Soft-TouchFilm

Matt, velvety

Standard protection

Anti-fingerprint

Matt laminationFilm

Matt, smooth

Grease-, water- and sweat-resistant

Anti-fingerprint

Gloss laminationFilm

High-gloss, smooth

Grease-, water- and sweat-resistant

Thermal transfer compatible

Gloss varnishFilm

High-gloss, smooth

Scratch protection

Material stays thin

Hot foilPaper

Metallic stamping, raised to the touch

—

Spot, in gold, silver, bronze

You print labels too? The finishes for labels are on a page of their own.

Musterpaket Rollenetiketten, Muster Doypacks
Matt. Soft-Touch. To touch.

Your free sample pack

Finishes are best judged with your fingers, not on a screen. Our sample pack brings you stand-up pouches, labels and roll stock to your desk: matt and Soft-Touch side by side, plus materials and digital printing for real. To compare. To show. For free. No risk. But with quite a lot of aha.

Request your sample pack

#getinPouch #getinLabel

Not sure which finish fits?

Matt or Soft-Touch depends on your product, your brand and your shelf environment. Sebastian has helped hundreds of brands with exactly this decision. Fifteen minutes are usually enough.

Sebastian Weißenfels

Sebastian Weißenfels

Head of Sales

09231 41496-50 sebastian@labelisten.com

Sebastian is looking forward to meeting you!

Grab a slot in Sebastian's calendar, relaxed and personal.

Book an appointment

FAQ

Still have questions about finishing your packaging? We have the answers!

What is the difference between Matt and Soft-Touch?

Matt reduces reflections and gives the packaging a calm, refined look. Soft-Touch goes one step further and also changes the feel: the surface is velvety, almost textile. Visually the two are comparable, in the hand they are clearly different.

Can I combine both finishes?

Yes, partial combinations are possible. For example Matt as the base across the surface with gloss accents on logos or key design elements. Tell us during configuration where you want which effect.

Are finished packages food-safe?

Yes. Our finishes are suitable for direct food contact. The protective layer separates print and product and meets the usual requirements for food packaging.

Does a finish cost extra?

Yes, because the finish is an additional production step. You see the exact price directly in your packaging calculator as soon as you select the finish.

For which formats is Soft-Touch not available?

We offer flat-bottom pouches and Flowpacks exclusively with a matt finish. For stand-up pouches, flat pouches and roll stock both finishes are available.

Which finishes are available for labels?

For film labels you have four options: Soft-Touch, matt protective lamination, gloss protective lamination and gloss varnish. We deliberately supply paper labels without a protective layer, but with hot foil stamping in gold, silver or bronze.