Foil stamping (sometimes referred to as foiling) is an eye-catching process that uses heat, dwell and pressure to stamp foil onto various substrates and materials. People use foil stamping to grab attention with eye-catching designs. For example, think of the beautiful images or lettering you might find on a cosmetic package or wine bottle labels.
How Does Hot Foil Stamping Work?
Hot foil stamping requires a hot stamping machine, specialized stamping foil, and a foil stamping die. Foil stamping dies are engraved or photoetched die plates used to transfer foil from a carrier to a substrate. Engraved die manufacturers can create foil stamping dies out of several materials, including brass or copper.
Copper and brass stamping dies can last for over one million uses if you care for them correctly. They conduct heat exceptionally well, making them ideal for commercial and long-term applications. Copper stamping dies are far more common than brass stamping dies, which are ideal for particular, unique applications.
There is a wide range of stamping foils, including holographic foils, metallic foils, pearl foils, and pigment foils. Metallic foils replicate the appearance of precious metals, like gold and silver, whereas pigment foils have a glossy or matte appearance. Pearl foils have a soft, ethereal sheen, and holographic foils reflect a variety of colors back at the viewer. Each of these foils has distinct properties, but you can find all of them in a virtually unlimited number of colors.
A hot stamping machine operator begins the foil stamping process by attaching the desired foil stamping die to the machine’s chase and heating it. The foil goes between the die and the material they are stamping. Then, the machine will press the die, stamping the foil onto the material’s surface. The combination of pressure and heat detaches the relevant foil sections from the carrier and bonds them to the material’s surface.
Foil Stamping Gives Your Products a Competitive Advantage
You can use hot foil stamping to add beautiful foil designs to your products. Products that people commonly foil stamp include greeting cards, wedding invitations, packaging, food/beverage/cosmetic labels, wine and liquor labels, book covers, stationery, and other paper-based products.
Your products have to compete with dozens, if not hundreds, of similar products for consumers’ attention in retail markets and shops. Foil stamped designs add inherent value to your products and help them stand out from the crowd with little expense.
Your product doesn’t have much time to make an impression on a consumer, so you have to make the most out of the time you do have. Foil stamped designs can make all the difference. The added visual flair draws people to your product and gives it a luxurious appearance, giving consumers the impression that your product is superior to the one sitting right next to it.
Copper and Brass Stamping Dies from Universal Engraving
Universal Engraving, a UEI Group company, manufactures the world’s finest engraved and photoetched copper and brass dies for foil stamping and embossing applications. Our dies are world-renowned for their artistry and precisions, and our customers know that they will receive the highest-quality product the industry has to offer every time they order one of our dies.
Are you interested in one of our sheet fed dies? Fill out our online form to download our informational brochure or email us at info@ueigroup.com.