Letterpress printing is a term for printing text with movable type, in which the raised surface of the type is inked and then pressed against a smooth substance to obtain an image in reverse. In addition to the direct impression of inked movable type onto paper or another receptive surface, the term letterpress can also refer to the direct impression of inked media such as zinc “cuts” (plates) or linoleum blocks onto a receptive surface.

Rotary letterpress machine are still used on a wide scale for printing of self adhesive and non self adhesive labels, tube laminate, cup stock etc. The printing quality achieved by the modern letterpress machines with UV curing is on par with flexo presses. Several converters the world over still swear by these rugged machines. It is more convenient and user firendly then a flexo press.

Letterpress publishing has recently undergone a revival in the USA, Canada and the UK, under the general banner of the ‘Small Press Movement’. Discarded by commercial print shops, affordable letterpress printing presses (in particular, Vandercook cylinder proof presses and Chandler & Price platen presses. In the UK there is particular affection for the Halifax built Arab) became available to artisans throughout the country.