'Stitched Hide', 'Elephant Grain' and 'The Bistro'

Bicast leather (also referred to as bycast, split or PU leather) is a split leather with a layer of polyurethane applied to the face and then squashed. The resulting product is far cheaper than top grain leather, but still has a genuine look of quality. You can even choose whether to have a flat or grained surface depending on which range you opt for - (this is mainly the difference between Stitched Hide and Elephant Grain for example).

Bicast leather is a creative's dream as it can be personalised using hot foil, embossing / debossing, screen print and metal plate printing.

Screen printing is basically the process of using a stencil to apply ink to your menu covers. What's clever about using this traditional method is that several screens can be used to produce a multicoloured image or design onto a wide range of different covering materials.

You might remember having done something similar in a school art lesson once, but you can rest assured that in terms of personalising menu covers; this technique is very much too cool for school!

Wood engraving is a relief printing process (similar to screen printing), and is one of the oldest personalisation techniques used at Smart Hospitality.

Wood engraving is known for its fine lines and is a printing method that lends itself beautifully to our real wood menu covers. A wood engraving is made by cutting and burning an image into the grain of hardwood (i.e. the front, back or spine of your menu cover). To apply colour, the engraved area is subsequently filled with a special type of paint. Multiple colours can be used (just like screen printing), so long as they don't touch. However, for a more authentic look, many of our customers leave the engraving as is.

Engraving is an extremely durable way of personalising your hospitality presentation products. Every menu cover or guest room folder we engrave is done by hand: this requires a lot of creativity, skill and care.

Metal plate printing is pretty damn cool even by our standards! We simply print your artwork onto metal aluminium plates and set them into an embossed area on your menu covers. This technique allows for a full colour image and can also be done using a piece of laminated substrate should you require a more matt finish. Metal plate printing, however, is all the rage.

This our latest printing method and, as far as design goes, a breath of fresh air! With specialist industrial print machines, we are now able to feed through a PVC type material with either a gloss or matt finish as though it were paper! By using white as a base colour, this enables us to print a full photographic image to the material which can then be used to bind your menu covers. Of course, this requires some precise measuring and quality book-binding on our part once the material is printed, but our manufacturing team are nothing short of miracle makers. The results are pure magic!

Hot foil can also be applied over the top of your printed menu should you wish to add further depth to your design.

This traditional technique oozes elegance and adds a real personal touch to your menu covers. Our hot foil colours range from gold, to silver, to pink, white, yellow and blue... to name but a few. Most are available in either a metallic or matt finish. Many other colours are available upon request and we can even source a specific pantone if you are able to cover the charges for the foil role.

Multiple colours can be used per cover so long as as they are for separate shapes or letters that do not touch ...a timeless classic!

We can also emboss your artwork and then fill it with hot foil for a more dimensional look.

For a little more jazz why not try out one of our sparking foils? Just ask a member of our sales' team upon enquiry.

Embossing consists of pressing your logo, image or text into the covering material of your menu. Where-as debossing is where the background of your logo, image or text is embossed so that the artwork appears raised on the cover. Both are an extremely subtle and robust way of personalising your menu covers.

For the past decade now, our hospitality marketing specialists have worked relentlessly (often at rather unsociable hours) to provide some of the world's leading restaurants, hotels, bars, spas and casinos with the very best service in the industry.

Often asked why we specialise in hospitality, the answer is simple: the whole market is one of fluidity, of constant change, where anything is possible and the sky really is the limit.  Everyone wants to own the most luxurious hotel, the guest house that's best value for money or serve the most exquisite food one has ever had the pleasure to feast upon.

This is where consulting with marketing experts pays dividend as aspirations such as these most certainly require a professional touch!

So, in terms of who we are, you have your answer: a team of highly successful industry whiz-kids who wholeheartedly understand how to market all types of hospitality lead businesses; a collaboration of conscientious strategists who have themselves previously worked at the centre of many successful bars, restaurants and hotels. Even the manager of the department is a dab-hand at the old culinary creativeness, having specialised as a Chef de Partie in some of London's most notable venues before embarking into a career in marketing. And she's no mean feat - her office party cakes are to die for!

At Smart Hospitality, we value creativity, determination and passion, honesty, freedom of expression, quality products and customer care... to name but a few. These are the values we strive to achieve every day; in our work, in our lives, even in our sleep! Each and every one of us wants to be the best at what we do. Just like you...

So, now you know a little more about us, about what makes us kick (about our manager's obsession with cake) why not pick up the phone and return the favour?

Everyone has a story to tell and we would love to hear yours!

Our Client List Includes

It’s totally acceptable to judge food by its label and its packaging, especially as dining / eating trends such as ‘street food’ and ‘fast casual’ soar in popularity.

The assumption being that if a company cares enough about how they present their produce, they likely care just as much about the look, taste and quality of what’s inside.

At Smart Hospitality, we balance the design and messaging of your packaging against functional aspects such as food protection and safety. Working in accordance to current food and drink labelling guidelines, we’ll help you to ensure your packaging design gets your products of the shelves and into the hands of your target customer.

Therefore, many important elements must be considered: what materials will allow for maximum product freshness and protection? Will you need a flexible or rigid container to support your product? How much space do you need for messaging? Will the shape and size of your packaging make your product easy to ship to your retailers? How much will it cost to get them there?

These are all questions that will play a part in the design process: Smart Hospitality will ensure they are addressed.

One of the first things your customers see when they approach your venue is your signage (if it isn't this that has already lead them to you).

Your signage and banners need to capture the essence of your business and appeal to your clientele. it must excite them and entice them.

At Smart Hospitality Marketing, we have designed, manufactured and supplied many different venues with signage and banners. From the sign above your door, to window signage, to Christmas banners, wedding fayre banners and reception pop-up banners; our talented team of creatives will work with you to really ensure you are utilising this form of marketing to its full potential.

In today's market place; professional, creative graphic design is extremely important in differentiating your company from your competitors.

Whether you're starting a new business or you're a firmly established company in need of a fresh look, investing in some professional graphic design will help to deliver a strong message about your company and the values it represents.