What Is Hot Foil Stamping
Foil stamping is also referred to as hot stamping (because of the use of heat), foil printing, dry stamping, and leaf stamping.
Foil stamping is called dry printing because it does not use any sort of ink for printing purposes. It is a dry stamping process where ink, some sort of magnetism, or plates are not used to print letters and pictures as is used in traditional printing methods. In place of all these things, foil stamping uses dies or carved metal plates, heat, and foil in the stamping process.
In the foil stamping process, the die or the sculpted metal plate comes in contact with the foil and transfers a thin layer of the foil film onto the intended surface. As the metal plate is heated, the foil sticks to the surface only in the design of the plate and in the required areas with the desired imprint.
Foil stamping uses heat and metallic film in a specialty printing process that produces a shiny design on paper, vinyl, textiles, wood, hard plastic, leather, and other materials. Foil stamping, also called hot stamping, dry stamping, foil imprinting, or leaf stamping, can be combined with dimensional embossing to make letters and images on business cards, book covers, gift cards, office folders, and a whole host of professional or personal items.
Using several layers of foil in different colors or combining ink and foil can embellish this simple "flat" stamp. Imprinting and embossing adds even more dimensionality. The edges of the foil stamp may be straight, curved, or sculpted to make the image pop or float above the page.
Foil leaf is available in every imaginable color and pattern, like standard gold or marbleized green. Rarer types of leaf come in matte, pearlescent, holographic, opalescent, or glossy finish. Semi-transparent layers allow an under color to show through. Not only does it provide a uniquely vibrant image with depth, foil stamping can be applied to a much more diverse selection of substrates in comparison to ink.
The cover of a leather photograph album could be printed with your family's monogram, or a cloth bookmark with a favorite literary quote. Impressive wedding invitations might have intertwining silver vines, blue flowers, and gold rings. Businesses use foil stamping to identify folders, cards, signs, and magnets with their logo. The reflective and unusual treatment is sure to catch the eye of a potential customer.