FLEXI DISCS

Fed up with ever growing lead times to press your vinyl when you have a deadline to meet? Sometimes, we have to look backwards to go forwards so if you have a special project or campaign and want a totally different way to present it, why not consider pressing up a Flexi disc? Flexi discs and Flexi postcards are media carriers based on the same principle as a vinyl record. The material used for the production of Flexi disks is a PVC foil and Flexi postcards are made of printed cardboard covered with a dispersion varnish.

Flexi discs are produced as one-sided or two-sided media carriers made of a PVC foil. This is available in a number of colours including blue, white, green or yellow.  Foils are purchased in sheets of 200x 180 mm.  If a Flexi disk is sold separately it is cut to the final size of 180x180mm which corresponds to the 7” format. The foil can be also delivered with perforation (this comes on the longer side approx. 18mm from the edge of the foil). This perforation allows the flexi disk to be bound in a magazine or similar. A less common version are round Flexi Discs, these are die cut into shape after being hot foiled. Flexi disks come with a one coloured graphic, which is stamped by a hot foiling technology.

Types of Flexi Discs:

• Flexi Disc 7x7
• Flexi Disc with perforation 7 x 8
• Flexi Disc round
• Picture Flexi Disc ++

++ The effect is reached by a full-surface print on the transparent PVC foil up to 4 colours CMYK. The print is always performed on the reverse side of the foil, picture having a mirror orientation. The printing is followed by the process of hot-foiling and pressing of the record, both from the front side.       

FLEXI POSTCARDS

Flexi postcards are made of a GC1 300g w/w cardboard, this is printed and the front side covered with a layer of a dispersion varnish.  Flexi postcards are produced in the size of 127x180mm or in the above mentioned 180x180mm 7” format. The Flexi postcards can be produced with perforation too, also serialization can be applied.

TYPES of postcards:

• postcard 7x7
• postcard 7x5
• postcard 5 x 7 with perforation
• customer supplied postcards

The obvious disclaimer with this format is sound quality, which is lower than for a standard vinyl record. Flexi disks are generally better than flexi postcards but on both formats, please be advised there will be background noises, cracks or various echo effects that cannot be avoided. It is therefore not suitable as a sound carrier for regular releases; rather this would be a great marketing tool.

The advantages however are they are much quicker and cheaper to produce than vinyl. For those tapping into that collectable or retro feel, or just as a standout way to get noticed this makes a great promotional item. Many people of a certain age may have started their record collection with a flexi disc back in the 70’s, and their popularity is on the rise again. Either as a free giveaway or a limited edition collectable for your fans, or a cover- mount feature on a magazine, this is a great way to catch people’s imagination and get your message across.

To discuss further, or to obtain a quote, lead time or further information simply contact info@primedirectdist.co.uk and plan that marketing campaign in style.