Foil stamping is a printing process that applies an image from foil to a substrate, usually paper, board or plastic.  Foil stamping operates in the same manner as letterpress printing except that it uses heat and a stamping foil rather than ink to apply the image.  Conventional letterpress masters are used (i.e. images raised) and letterpress machinery is also used.  Stamping foil consists of (1) a carrier layer of polyester, (2) a release coat, (3) a coating of metallised aluminium or pigment and then (4) a layer of sizing material.  When foil stamping a job, heat is applied by the die to the polyester side of the stamping foil and this heat softens the sizing coat which adheres to the substrate and releases the metallised or pigmented section from the carrier onto the substrate.

Embossing is the creating of a two or three dimensional image in a substrate, usually paper or board.  There are many variations of embossing including; embossing to fit a pre printed image, embossing to fit a foil stamped image, debossing or a mixture of embossing and debossing.

Blind embossing is the basis for all other embossing terminology and is embossing in it’s purest form.  It applies the desired image to a sheet of paper or board by altering the structure of the substrate so that the image sits proud.

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