Moving From Spot PMS Colors to Process Colors for Business Cards (What You Need to Know)

If you have ordered business cards with us before, you probably remember choosing a spot PMS color for your logo or text. Things are changing a bit behind the scenes, and you might be wondering what it means when we say we are no longer using spot PMS color in the same way to print business cards.

This guide walks you through what is changing, what stays the same, and how to pick the right colors and paper so your cards still look sharp, professional, and on brand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLuYCBBqDT4

Why We Are Shifting Away From Traditional Spot PMS On Cards

Classic spot PMS inks are great when you need a single, very exact brand color. But they are not always the best fit for modern designs, photos, gradients, or complex layouts.

Today, most business card designs use:

• Multiple accent colors
• Photos or headshots
• Soft gradients and shadows
• Dark backgrounds with bright highlights

Those effects are better suited to process color printing (CMYK), not traditional spot PMS inks. As many printers note, CMYK excels with complex images while spot color shines with simple, few-color logos.

To keep your cards looking current and consistent, we now:

• Use process colors to match popular PMS shades for many designs
• Limit the use of true custom PMS mixing
• Offer a flexible mix of standard PMS spot colors and process equivalents

So you still get strong color options, but the production method behind them is smarter and more adaptable.

For a quick background on the difference, you can also check out this overview of four color process vs spot printing.

If you want a traditional look with a clean layout and spot colors, our Classic Business Cards in Spot Colors are still tailored for that style.

Your Color Options: Traditional PMS Spots And Process Matches

We offer two main ways to handle color on our classic cards: traditional spot PMS colors and process color matches.

18 Standard PMS Spot Colors

For simple, classic designs with one to three colors, you can still choose from 18 standard PMS spot colors:

• Black
• Red 185
• Reflex Blue
• Process Blue
• Navy 281
• Brown 469
• Burgundy 201
• Bordeaux 228
• Teal 321
• Light Gray 432
• Dark Gray 431
• Kelly Green 347
• Green 356
• Hunter Green 343
• Orange 021
• Violet
• Metallic Silver
• Metallic Gold

These are ideal for clean layouts, simple logos, and professional cards that do not rely on photos or heavy background coverage.

Other traditional PMS colors are available by request for an average of $60 per color. This extra cost covers ink mixing and setup.

14 Process Color Matches For Popular PMS Shades

To move away from pure spot PMS while keeping familiar brand tones, we now offer process color equivalents for 14 common PMS shades.

These are printed in CMYK values, not as true metallic or solid PMS inks:

These process values give a close match, but they are not guaranteed to be identical to the PMS swatch in a Pantone book. That is a limitation of CMYK. As many designers note, Pantone spot colors and CMYK process colors simply do not behave the same way.

If you are very sensitive about exact brand matching, let us know upfront so we can advise whether spot or process makes more sense.

Printing Style: Raised Or Flat, Front And Back Rules

All classic cards are printed as spot color printing with the option to have:

• Raised ink (Thermography)
• Flat printing

A few key points:

• Raised ink is available on the front side only
• The back side can be printed flat or left blank
• Raised printing works best with text and logos in 1–2 colors

If you want a traditional, formal look, raised black or dark blue text on white stock is a strong choice. If you prefer a smooth, modern feel, flat printing with process colors gives more flexibility for gradients or small photos.

Paper Choices For Classic Business Cards

Not every paper handles heavy ink or high-resolution photos well. Our classic stocks are designed for simple, 1–3 color layouts.

Available paper selections include:

• #100 CS1, CS2, Uncoated (14 pt)
• #100 CS1 and CS2 (14 pt)
• #100 Linen
• #110 White Classic Crest
• #110 Natural Classic Crest
• #130 White Smooth
• #120 CS2 (16 pt)
• #80 Ivory

These papers come from traditional printing technology. They are best when you:

• Use limited spot colors
• Keep backgrounds mostly white or light
• Avoid full-coverage ink blocks and photo-heavy designs

Heavy ink coverage can bleed through on thinner stocks. High-definition photos may look soft or patchy on these classic papers, especially on uncoated or lighter weights.

If your design relies on rich photos, full bleeds, or strong gradients, talk with us about more modern premium CS stocks instead of the classic line.

Design Tips: What To Avoid With Classic Stocks

To help you get the best results with this updated color approach, here are three real-world cases.

Case 1: Thin Paper With Solid Backgrounds

On thinner papers, avoid coloring the entire background with solid ink. A full black or full blue background on #80 Ivory, for example, can:

• Show banding or streaks
• Soak into the sheet and lose crispness
• Bleed slightly to the back

A better idea is to use colored paper if you want an overall tone, and then print your logo and text in one or two colors on top.

Case 2: Photos On Ink-Saturated Surfaces

If you print a photo of a person on a heavily inked background, the paper can struggle to hold detail. On classic stocks, this might lead to:

• Blurry faces
• Muddy shadows
• Uneven skin tones

Keep headshots and portraits on clean, light backgrounds on these papers. If your card is photo-driven, a premium coated stock with full CMYK process will perform much better.

Case 3: Gradients And Smooth Transitions

Gradients sound great on screen, but on thinner classic papers they may not look smooth. You might see:

• Stepping or banding
• Uneven transitions
• Dull color where ink soaks in

Use gradients gently and avoid long, soft fades across the full card. If gradients are central to your design, a premium 14 pt or 16 pt coated stock is a better match.

For more context on how process colors handle gradients compared with spot, this article on printing CMYK vs Pantone is helpful.

Who Classic Spot And Process Cards Are Best For

These classic business cards shine in professional offices where the layout is clean and information-first:

• Doctors and clinics
• Law firms
• Corporate staff and executives
• Accountants, consultants, and financial services

If your card is mainly text, with maybe a simple logo and one or two colors, classic spot or process color matches give you a tasteful, timeless look.

If you want more visual drama, foil, or advanced finishes, you might also be interested in other premium and specialty options on our site that pair well with modern process printing and effects like spot UV or foil stamping, which align with current trends in 2025 toward rich dark backgrounds and metallic accents.

When You Need Custom Pricing

Some business card projects are complex:

• Multiple PMS colors plus process elements
• Special finishes and non-standard papers
• Very tight brand color requirements

In those cases, pricing is not always straightforward. If your design is outside the typical 1–3 color classic setup, ask us for a custom price quote so we can review and price it accurately before going to print.

Final Thoughts: Spot PMS Is Changing, Quality Is Not

The move away from pure spot PMS for every card does not mean your cards will lose personality. It simply means we now mix smart process color matches with a focused set of standard PMS spots so you get the best of both worlds: flexibility for modern designs and consistent, professional color.

When you plan your next order, think about:

• How many colors you truly need
• Whether you want raised or flat print
• How much ink coverage your design uses
• Which paper fits your style and budget

If you keep your design clean and your colors simple, these classic papers and updated color options will give you sharp, reliable business cards that still feel timeless in your hand.