UV light features - which vendors get this right?
^^ This. The UV work is honestly one of the best ways to judge overall quality. If a vendor cuts corners on UV, they're probably cutting corners elsewhere too.
I've ordered from 3 different vendors and the UV quality difference was huge. The expensive one looked almost identical to a real one under UV.
Worth paying extra for if this is important to you.
UV features to look for:
- State seal in UV ink
- Repeating pattern on front/back
- Hidden text or images
- Proper brightness level
Top vendors nail all of these consistently.
Check the vendor review threads - people often post UV pics there. That's the best way to compare.
Also ask the vendor for UV samples before ordering if you're unsure.
You're absolutely right that UV is a major quality indicator. The premium vendors invest in proper UV printing equipment.
Budget vendors often skip this or do a half-effort version. You get what you pay for.
Been comparing different vendors and noticed the UV features vary a lot in quality.
Some novelty IDs have really detailed UV patterns while others barely show anything under blacklight. Which vendors are known for getting the UV work right?
This seems like one of those details that separates good from great.