85 × 55 mm business card printing

At 85 × 55 mm in landscape (8.5 × 5.5 cm), this is the classic business card size in Switzerland: it fits every standard card holder and leaves room for name, job title, company, address and all your contact details. It is the format for accountancy firms, law firms, medical practices, tradespeople, SMEs and clubs that want a familiar, easy-to-read card.

In the 85 × 55 mm business card configurator this size is already selected. The starting configuration (300 g matt coated paper, front only, no finishing) can be ordered from 10 cards. You then adjust stock, finishing, print sides and number of designs; the price in CHF appears straight away, with a table by quantity, and the unit price falls as the quantity rises.

Which card stock for an 85 × 55 mm business card?

For this size the configurator lists 17 paper options from 300 to 500 g, in three material types:

• Coated paper, matt in 300, 350, 400 and 500 g or gloss in 300 g. Matt is glare-free and keeps even small type crisp; gloss makes photos stand out, for an estate agent or a hotel, for example.
• White offset in 350, 400 and 500 g: uncoated and natural to the touch, for a restrained, serious look.
• Matt chromo sulphate board in 350 and 450 g: firm and stable, for a card that stays in the holder for a long time.

If certified papers matter to you: matt coated paper comes in a PEFC version in 300, 350 and 400 g and as FSC® in 500 g, and white offset in a PEFC version in 350, 400 and 500 g.

Our page on paper types and materials compares these families in detail. To judge two thicknesses in your hand, ask for samples.

Finishes you can feel

A business card is handled before it is read; on the 85 × 55 mm format, three finishes can be felt under the fingertips:

• Soft-Feel: a matt lamination with a velvety touch, front only or both sides.
• Glossy relief varnish: a raised varnish on the front, also as a partial varnish that lifts, say, just the company name.
• Hot foil in gold, silver or copper: a metallic sheen for a fine rule, a monogram or the name.

These are joined by matt lamination, gloss UV varnish (also partial), bio-film on the front and two varnishes on both sides, water-based protective or antimicrobial; the configurator shows what combines with your stock. Our printing glossary explains lamination and spot UV, the partial varnish in the configurator.

A bilingual back and cards for the whole team

Printing is either 4/0 (front only, full colour) or 4/4 (both sides); depending on the configuration, options with varnish or a spot colour are added. The landscape format leaves room on the back for a complete second version of the card: a firm in Fribourg, Valais or Biel/Bienne can put German on the front and French on the back, while an international company in Zug or Geneva can pair English with German or French.

For a team there is no need to place one order per person: you can choose from 1 to 10 designs within the same order, for example the same layout with each colleague's name, job title and direct number. A shared template in which only these details change keeps every card consistent. For very large quantities, see our page on large-volume orders.

Setting up your artwork in landscape

Create a document 85 mm wide and 55 mm high. At 300 dpi this finished size equals 1004 × 650 pixels, without bleed. If a colour or image runs to the edge, add bleed all the way round and keep text inside the safety margin. You can see how these zones are laid out in our print templates, made for flyers, posters and postcards; the same principle applies to a business card.

The landscape format lends itself to a two-column layout: logo and company name on one side, name, job title and contact lines on the other. For a bilingual card, use the same grid on both sides so the two versions clearly belong together. Every print file is checked before production.

Other business card sizes

If your card should rely mainly on a strong logo with little text, the square 55 × 55 mm business card is the alternative. Our guide to print sizes shows how the common formats compare.

Delivery anywhere in Switzerland costs CHF 7.00 per order and is free on orders from CHF 100. Prices include Swiss VAT at 8.1%.