CD size and DVD size (A5) trays are available in clear or black, and the printed panels are sized accordingly. These trays are glued to one or more of the inside panels of the tray pack.
The cardboard panels are offset printed and can be coated with either a protective machine varnish, a high gloss or matte UV varnish, or a gloss or matte laminate. Various additional finishes such as metal leafing, embossing, spot varnish and forme-cuts are also available.
The stock type and weight is critical to the overall appearance of the pack. Replicat selects a particular type of stock depending on the particular print required. If the pack requires a double sided print, a 300 gsm artcard stock is generally used. If the pack can be printed as a single sided run, then a 230 gsm single sided stock is used. These stocks are approximately the same thickness and rigidity, and it is important to note that a stock’s gsm does not determine the thickness of the stock. Grams per square meter (gsm) relates to the density or weight of the stock.
A variety of different stocks (uncoated white, uncoated recycled white, uncoated recycled brown and several other stocks) are available for clients to select. These stocks can be viewed (coated with the different laminate and varnishes in many cases) at the Replicat showroom.
Replicat offers expert advice in how to design and construct both standard and custom tray packs, and clients are encouraged to make an appointment to meet with one of our consultants at the Replicat customer service centre in Church Street Richmond.
(The following text is an edited extract from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digipak)
Digipak is a patented style of compact disc or DVD packaging, and is a registered trademark of MeadWestvaco, Inc., which acquired the original trademark holder, IMPAC Group, Inc., in 2000.
MeadWestvaco licenses the name and designs to various manufacturers around the world. Digipaks typically consist of a gatefold (book-style) paperboard or card stock outer binding, with one or more plastic trays capable of holding a CD or DVD attached to the inside. Since Digipaks were among the first alternatives to jewel cases to be used by major record companies, and because there is no other common name for Digipak-style packaging made by other companies, collectors have long been using the terms digipak, Digi-Pak, and digipack generically, even when the media holder is a hub or "Soft Spot" rather than a full plastic tray.
Digipak-style packaging is often used for CD singles or special editions of CD albums. Because such packaging is less resistant to abrasion than jewel cases, it tends to show signs of wear relatively quickly. This has been addressed more recently by a trend among licensed digipak manufacturers such as domestic U.S. printer/CD replicator Oasis Disc Manufacturing who seem to be more commonly than not recommending printing Digipaks only when coating the raw printed paper with a protective UV matte or UV gloss finish, thus ensuring a longevity that may rival or exceed that of a conventional jewel case.
Due to the interest in having it become as "eco" as it is premium in appearance, manufacturers have been engaging in a full-on push to improve in its environmental credentials and even improve its functionality. Many printers are introducing some recycled components into its trays and one has announced a 100% post-consumer PET tray made from recycled water and/or soda bottles, which also eliminates the need for the brittle "teeth" that can otherwise crack in the trays under pressure in some other variants. Many printers are also moving toward some recycled components in the board stock and to FSC or other certification of green forestry practices for their board stock in order to avoid harming our forests as well, since an underlying belief that this packaging is more environmentally friendly seems to be implicit in artists' desires to use it.