Making Vintage Packaging That Looks Authentic

Making Vintage Packaging That Looks Authentic

Vintage Look CD Title, Uncoated matte paper for soft design, scrapbook look

Paper Stocks & Printing Effects
for Old World, Vintage Packaging Style

Interested in making vintage packaging? We can help create your vintage looking title with some of our special paper stocks and effects, such as soft, matte paper that will make the packaging feel soft and look old. Or may we suggest using fiberboard, an unbleached, reclaimed paper for a built in brownish hue. Sepia tone is easily achieved on vellum paper. Scrapbook liners can be made with black or kraft paper. And don’t forget the foil and embossing printing effects- these are fairly old techniques.

Old-world craftsmanship provides solid chipboard packaging that you can wrap in leather or linen if you like. Alternately, you can create a paper stock jacket in fanciful designs. Avoid plastic if you want to go really vintage -use the stocks and tools they used.

Below are some of our favorite suggestions and ideas for you! Enjoy!

Special Vintage Packaging Paper Stocks

Matte Uncoated Paper

For a vintage look & feel, we recommend using a matte, uncoated paper stock. Uncoated paper is soft to the touch, and absorbs quite a bit of ink. The result is soft, matte, and old worldy.

Vintage Look CD Title, Uncoated matte paper for soft design, scrapbook look
Soft, Uncoated Matte Paper Stock
Matte uncoated paper for vintage look packaging sepia tone
Vintage Artwork, Sepia Tones
Uncoated Paper, soft matte, for vintage retro looks
Uncoated Stock, Authentic Vintage Look
Uncoated Stock Booklet Pages

Vellum Parchment Paper

Overlay a sheet or vellum for a semi-transparent parchment paper look. It can also be printed for a sepia tone look. As a bonus, it can also be used as tracing paper!

Pencil cd art kit tracing notebook flip book animation
Vellum Tracing Paper
vellum paper inner sleeve
Vellum Inner Sleeves
Vellum Disc Sleeves in Kraft Box Set Chipboard Core
Vellum Paper Sleeves

Unbleached Fiberboard

Fiberboard is made from pulp paper that is normally discarded. It is reclaimed and used to make packaging. The paper stock is unbleached and fibrous, making it a fun media for vintage!

Spot White UV Ink on Fiberboard jacket Packaging
Fiberboard Jacket w/ Spot White Ink
Fiberboard Jacket 4pp
Fiberboard Jacket, Hint of Color
Custom digipak portfolio style multidisc magnets paper trays
Fiberboard Portfolio

Kraft Lining Papers

Another recommendation – use a lining paper for an inner wrap on albums or books, or swinging or glued on sleeve. Inner wraps such as black uncoated or kraft paper (tan color) create a scrapbook type of feel.

Black inner wrap and swinging sleeve
Black Inner Wrap & Swinging Sleeve
kraft wrap with full color 4C printing and cork hub
Kraft Paper Shown with Cork Hub
Black Inner Wrap & Swinging Sleeve in Custom CD Book
Black Wrap & Swinging Sleeve in CD Book
Kraft Vinyl Sleeves, Die Cut Center Hole, Vinyl Set Album
Kraft Paper Sleeves in Vinyl Set Album

Vintage Packaging Collection Effects

Foil Stamping

Another idea is to use old world foil stamping to replicate vintage looks. Gold, Silver, and Bronze work especially well for these looks.

CD Book with gold foil stamping perfect bound inner pages clear tray
Gold Foil Stamping on CD Book
Gold Foil Stamping on CD Book
Foil Stamping & Debossing on CD Book
Silver Foil on Fiberboard Stock
Silver Foil on Fiberboard Stock

Embossing / Debossing

Embossing is raised relief, and debossed is indented print. Either effect provides a very tactile element to packaging.

Embossed spine on digipak, spot ink matte lamination
Embossed Spine
Embossed Photo Corners on Vintage Scrapbook Feel Title
Embossed Photo Corners
Debossing on Custom Packaging Slipcase Set
Debossing on Custom Slipcase Set

Linen & Leather Wraps

We can wrap any rigid packaging with a classic leather or linen material. The leather is vegan, man made material and does well with foil stamping. The linen is specially sourced to match the color you want, and does well with a 1C silkscreen.

Faux Leather Box Sets
Linen CD Book Chipboard Core, full color 4C slipcase
CD Book with Linen Wrap, 4C Slipcase

Hardcover Books & Boxes

Hardcover Books & Rigid Boxes are made with chipboard core, and an old world technique (book binding) is used to create the packaging and apply the outside wrap. The result is a product that could have been made a hundred years ago, or more.

Hardcover Book chipboard core, old world technique book binding

Old World Hardcover Book Binding

Leather wrapped box with video screen embedded
Leather Wrapped Box

Custom Die Cuts

With a custom die cut, you can create packaging in any shape you want, or use cut outs to showcase specific elements!


Doing a vinyl title? Check out www.vinyl-packaging.com

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