White ink printing adds white as a printable colour, allowing CMYK images and text to be printed on dark, coloured and metallic substrates. We print white ink on both our HP Indigo digital presses and our SwissQprint UV flatbed at our Marrickville production facility.
What is white ink printing
Standard digital presses print CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black). They assume the substrate is white. When you print CMYK onto a dark or coloured stock, the colours are altered by the background.
White ink solves this by printing an opaque white base layer onto the coloured stock before the CMYK image is applied on top. The white base blocks the substrate colour and gives the CMYK inks a neutral foundation. The result is accurate colour reproduction on any stock colour.
When to use white ink
White ink is used whenever you need to print on a substrate that is not white. Common applications include dark-stock business cards, coloured-stock invitations, metallic foilboard printing, clear or frosted material for window graphics, and dark envelopes.
White ink can also be used as a standalone design element: white text or graphics on a dark card, reversed out of the substrate colour. This creates a clean, high-contrast finish that cannot be achieved with standard CMYK printing.
Multiple “hits” or passes of white ink increase opacity. Darker and more textured stocks absorb more ink, so additional passes are needed to achieve solid white coverage. Each pass adds cost.
White ink on metallic stocks
Printing CMYK directly onto metallic foilboard produces metallic-effect colours because the silver surface shows through the transparent inks. Adding a white ink base layer under specific areas blocks the metallic effect and returns those areas to standard colour.
This combination allows designers to create complex layouts that mix metallic and non-metallic finishes on a single sheet, controlled entirely through the artwork layers.
Design considerations
White ink artwork is supplied as a separate spot colour layer named “White” or “White Ink”, set to overprint. If the white layer is not set to overprint, the press will knock it out instead of printing it, and the white base will not appear.
Opacity is controlled by the number of hits. One pass of white is semi-translucent. Two or three passes build toward full opacity. The darker the stock, the more passes needed. We advise on the number of hits required at the quoting stage.
Alternatives to white ink
White foil stamping produces a solid, opaque white on dark stocks without multiple passes. It requires a die and suits defined text or logo applications. For variable data on dark stocks, white ink is the only practical option.
How we produce white ink printing
On our HP Indigo presses, white ink is loaded as an additional ink station. The press lays down the white base layer, then overprints CMYK in the same pass. On our SwissQprint UV flatbed, white ink is printed as a separate channel and cured under UV light.
Both methods are produced in-house. We proof white ink jobs to confirm opacity and colour accuracy before the production run.
Need to print on dark, coloured or metallic stock? Get in touch to discuss white ink printing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I print full-colour images on black card?
Yes. A white ink base layer is printed first, then CMYK is applied over the white. The result is full-colour reproduction on a dark substrate.
How many passes of white ink are needed?
It depends on the stock. One pass produces a translucent white. Two to three passes build toward full opacity. Darker, more absorbent stocks need more passes.
Does white ink add to the cost?
Yes. Each additional pass increases the production time and ink cost. We quote white ink jobs with the appropriate number of hits for the specified stock.
Can white ink be used on envelopes?
Yes. We print white ink on dark and coloured envelopes for high-impact direct mail and branded stationery.
What is the difference between white ink and white foil?
White ink is printed digitally and allows variable data, gradients and photographic reproduction. White foil is stamped with a die and produces an opaque, flat white. Foil is sharper on solid text; ink is more versatile for complex graphics.