December 2007 - Foil Stamping Can Accent Any Print Job

Few printed pieces shout, “Look at me!” as powerfully as those with foil stamping. This eye catching decorative process adds a classic look that will get your piece noticed.

This foil embossed piece is eye catching and attractive.

Foil stamping uses heat and pressure to transfer colored,  patterned or any other type of foil onto a substrate. Since the slightest variation in paper, foil release properties, temperature or pressure can affect the outcome, it’s advisable to consult with your finisher early in the design process. This is the easiest way to ensure special considerations are discovered
and met.

For example, if your foil is to overlap with ink it’s important to make sure you use inks with low wax content. Also, the foil stamped image needs to be foil stamping compatible in terms of both size and shape. Specifically, type and design elements being foil stamped must be foil stampable, meaning that your text should be eight points or greater and your lines are thick enough for proper foil adhesion. Color, condition, and paper stock all play an important role too.

Abundant Foil Choices
Choices abound when it comes to selecting among various colored metallic foils, patterned foils, such as wood grain and marble, and more than 200 pastel and matte colors. Increasingly, there are more rainbow, prismatic and holographic foils available, too. Transparent, tinted, and partially opaque foils (i.e., smoke and clear) are also common. Coated paper allows metallic foils to really shine, whereas uncoated sheets absorb some of the foil’s brightness.

When specifying foil, consider the product’s end use and take into account the following characteristics: scuff resistance, stamping speed, the ratio of fine lines to large solid areas in your artwork, fade resistance (to chemicals or light), water and humidity resistance, price and availability.

Schedule Appropriately
Foil stamping is an eye-catching, attractive way to finish off and accent any print job and is a great value-added service to offer your customers. Please be aware that due to the nature of the foil stamping process, it is rarely a same day project. Communication between the designer, printer and finisher is key to making it all happen in a timely manner.

The Feiereisen Advantage
Founded in 1933, Feiereisen, Inc. offers a broad range of superior finishing services that include foil stamping, hot embossing, folding and gluing, die-cutting, scoring and perforating, board and litho mounting, film lamination, UV coating and more.

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