Custom-shaped print
Cut postcards, cards, inserts, labels, coupons, and promotional pieces to a custom outline.
Die Cutting
Custom shapes, windows, tabs, holes, and functional cuts.
Die cutting uses a physical cutting die to turn printed sheets into custom shapes or add functional features that cannot be created with a straight trim.
Use it for door hangers, pocket folders, packaging, hang tags, shaped postcards, coupons, tickets, labels, windows, holes, tabs, scores, and perforations. Send us the piece and what it needs to do and we’ll help work through the cut and finishing setup.
Produced in Plano
Custom Shapes + Cutouts
Scoring + Perforating
Local + Nationwide Shipping
Quick Answer
What is die cutting?
Die cutting is a finishing process that uses a shaped cutting die to cut printed material into a specific outline or create functional features.
It can create rounded corners, windows, holes, handles, tabs, slots, folder flaps, perforations, score lines, and custom shapes that a standard straight trim cannot produce.
When Die Cutting Helps
Change the shape—or make the piece function differently.
Some jobs need a custom outline. Others need a fold, opening, tab, slot, tear-away section, or other feature that makes the finished piece work.
Functional cutouts
Add windows, holes, handles, slots, tabs, notches, or rounded corners.
Packaging pieces
Create sleeves, folders, inserts, tabs, slots, flaps, and pieces designed to fold or assemble.
Door hangers
Cut the outer profile, hanger opening, slit, or other features into one finished piece.
Hang tags & labels
Produce custom shapes, product tags, holes, labels, and branded specialty pieces.
Scoring & perforating
Add score lines where pieces need to fold and perforations where sections need to tear away.
Common Uses
The cut should be designed around how the piece will be used.
A door hanger, pocket folder, package, hang tag, tear-off card, and custom-shaped postcard all solve different problems.
Stock, thickness, folds, grain direction, perforations, printed margins, lamination, and other finishing can all affect how the die needs to be built.
Shaped postcards, cards, coupons, and tickets
Pocket folders, sleeves, and packaging inserts
Door hangers, hang tags, and labels
Windows, holes, handles, slots, and tabs
Score lines for folding and assembly
Perforations for tear-away sections
Compare Cutting Methods
Traditional die cutting vs. laser die cutting.
Both methods can create custom-shaped printed pieces, but the production approach is different. The better option depends on the material, shape, level of detail, quantity, and timeline.
| Consideration | Traditional Die Cutting | Laser Die Cutting |
|---|---|---|
| Cutting method | Uses a physical cutting die. | Uses a focused laser following a digital cut path. |
| Physical die | Required. | Not required. |
| Best fit | Repeatable shapes, functional features, and production quantities. | Intricate details, samples, prototypes, and lower quantities. |
| Fine detail | Strong for standard shapes, holes, tabs, folds, and repeatable features. | Strong for intricate patterns, detailed openings, and complex shapes. |
| Quantity | Often efficient for repeatable production runs after the die is made. | Often practical for shorter runs where producing a die may not make sense. |
| Best choice | Depends on material, detail, quantity, and final use. | Depends on material, detail, quantity, and final use. |
Cut Considerations
The die line has to work with the print around it.
A die-cut piece is not just a shape placed on top of artwork. The cut path has to work with safe margins, folds, scores, holes, tabs, perforations, grain direction, coatings, and the material itself.
If you do not have a finished die line yet, send a sketch, sample, artwork, or description of what the piece needs to do. We can review the production requirements before the final setup is locked.
- Paper or material thickness
- Finished size and custom outline
- Cut path and safe margins
- Scores, folds, and grain direction
- Holes, windows, tabs, handles, and slots
- Perforations and tear-away sections
How It Works
From printed sheet to finished custom shape.
Send the finished size, stock, quantity, artwork, shape, folds, holes, tabs, scores, perforations, and deadline or whatever details you already have.
Tell us about the piece.
Send the finished size, material, quantity, artwork, sample, desired shape, and deadline.
We review the cut.
We check the cut path, safe margins, holes, tabs, folds, score lines, perforations, and final use.
We print and finish it.
The job is printed, die cut, scored, perforated, folded, laminated, or otherwise finished as required.
We check, pack & deliver.
Finished pieces are checked and prepared for pickup, local delivery, mailing, fulfillment, or nationwide shipping.
What to Send
You do not need the die line completely figured out first.
Send whatever you already have. A sketch, sample, previous piece, dieline, artwork, or simple description can be enough to start the conversation.
Finished size
Width and height of the completed piece.
Quantity
How many finished pieces you need produced.
Artwork
Print-ready file, dieline, sketch, sample, photo, or whatever you have.
Stock
Paper, cardstock, label material, or other substrate if already known.
Cut details
Shape, holes, windows, handles, tabs, slots, scores, folds, or perforations.
Deadline
When the finished pieces need to be ready or delivered.
Connected Services
Die cutting usually works as part of a larger finishing sequence.
Printing, cutting, scoring, folding, lamination, assembly, and distribution can all affect the final die-cut piece.
FAQs
Die cutting questions.
What is die cutting?
Die cutting uses a shaped cutting die to cut printed material into a custom outline or add functional features such as holes, windows, tabs, slots, scores, or perforations.
What can die cutting add to a printed piece?
Die cutting can create custom outlines, rounded corners, windows, holes, handles, tabs, slots, folder flaps, score lines, and perforations.
What materials can be die cut?
Paper, cardstock, labels, and other suitable printed materials can often be die cut when the material, thickness, size, and shape fit the process.
What is rotary die cutting?
Rotary die cutting uses a rotating cutting tool and can be useful for certain repeatable shapes, labels, and production quantities.
When should I use laser die cutting instead?
Laser die cutting may be a better fit for intricate details, samples, prototypes, shorter quantities, or projects where producing a physical die does not make sense.
Can scoring and perforating be included?
Yes. Score lines can be added where a piece needs to fold, and perforations can be included where a section needs to tear away.
Do I need a finished dieline before requesting a quote?
No. If you have a dieline, send it. If not, send the artwork, sample, sketch, dimensions, and a description of what the finished piece needs to do.
What should I send for a die cutting quote?
Send the finished size, quantity, artwork, stock if known, cut shape, holes, tabs, windows, scores, folds, perforations, and deadline.
Can Voom mail or fulfill die-cut pieces?
Yes. Finished pieces can be prepared for pickup, local delivery, mailing, fulfillment, or nationwide shipping.
Does Voom offer die cutting in Plano and Dallas-Fort Worth?
Yes. Voom provides die cutting, scoring, perforating, and related print finishing from its Plano production facility for businesses throughout Dallas-Fort Worth, with nationwide shipping available.
Shapes · Cutouts · Scores · Perforations
Show us the shape and what the piece needs to do.
If you do not have the dieline worked out yet, that is fine. Send the size, quantity, artwork, stock if known, and the cuts, folds, holes, windows, tabs, or perforations you need. We’ll help work through the rest.