Foil Stamping

Foil stamping applies an image from foil to a substrate such as paper, board or plastic. It operates similarly to letterpress printing, except that it uses heat and stamping foil instead of ink. Conventional letterpress masters are used, and letterpress machinery performs the stamping.

Stamping foil consists of:

(1) a polyester carrier layer, (2) a release coat, (3) a coating of metallised aluminium or pigment, and (4) a sizing layer for adhesion.

During foil stamping, heat is applied to the polyester side of the foil. This softens the sizing layer, allowing the metallised or pigmented layer to release and bond to the substrate, producing a clean, reflective impression.

Embossing

Embossing creates a two- or three-dimensional image in a substrate such as paper or board. There are several types of embossing, including:

• Embossing to match a pre-printed image
• Embossing to complement a foil-stamped image
• Debossing (reverse embossing)
• A combination of embossing and debossing

Blind embossing is the foundation for all embossing techniques. It applies the desired image to the sheet by altering the structure of the substrate so that the image sits proudly above the surface.