What is foil printing?
Foil printing is a process where a machine uses heat and pressure to apply foil to the print media. It doesn’t involve any ink, it's essentially a transfer of foil from a carrier film (usually a thin clear PET that keeps the foil intact) to the material.
The foil is usually made from a thin layer of aluminum and pigment to give it color. Currently, we offer gold and silver foil and transfer those onto a clear material to create your design.
Foil printing methods
That being said, there are various ways manufacturers can transfer foil onto the material. The four different custom foil printing methods of applying foil to print media are:
- Hot foiling: This process uses a heated metal die that activates the foil’s glue, which allows the foil layer to transfer.
- Cold foiling: A similar process, but instead of heat, it uses UV light. The foil requires a UV-cured adhesive. Once the die creates the custom pattern, the material is exposed to UV light, which cures the glue and makes the foil stick.
- Digital foiling: A digital inkjet print head prints transparent adhesive onto the material. When foil is rolled over the surface, it sticks wherever the glue has been printed.
- Thermal Transfer (TTR): This method uses a digital print head with small heating nodules. Both the material and the foil pass through the print head, and where the foil needs to stick, the thermal head heats up and causes the foil to transfer.
If you want to learn more about these methods, check out our article How does foil printing work.
What materials can you use for foil printing?
You can print onto almost any material, from plastic and paper to metal. However, the material must be compatible with the foil printing method. Thermal transfer is the most limiting, as the surface needs to be smooth and glossy.
Our foil printing options include gold and silver foils and a clear base material. The clear material is available as standard PP (polypropylene) and as a compostable wood pulp base.
What colors are available for foil printing?
Thousands of colors are available for foil printing.
When researching foil printing, you’ll usually see examples using metallic colors on a clear or white base. But you can also foil print standard CMYK colors.
So why doesn’t anyone offer that? The truth is, foil printing standard colors makes little sense. It’s expensive, time-consuming, and produces the same result as regular digital printing (because printers already print CMYK colors).
That’s why “foil printing” generally refers to metallic colors on clear or white materials. Some of the most popular foils include: mirror gold, mirror silver, rose gold, metallic blue, metallic red, holographic, and glitter.
What is foil printing used for?
Foil printing is used across industries for premium product labels, packaging tape, business cards, and more. You’ll also find it on wedding invitations or birthday cards.
Its primary function is to create a premium look, whether for a product launch, brand identity, or your special day. Here are some great examples:
Luxury product labels
This example shows how classy foil printing can look as a product label. With silver detail on clear material, it appears as if the metallic effect was embossed directly onto the black candle.
Premium logo stickers
Looks like this logo was printed directly onto the water bottle, right? Foil printed logo stickers are a stylish way to showcase premium services to customers.
Classy save-the-date announcements
How amazing does this save-the-date sticker look? You can choose the foil to match your wedding theme and really wow your guests.
If you find foil printing a bit too pricey, you can go for a more budget-friendly option with our mirror silver or mirror gold stickers. Learn more in our article How to mimic foil printing.
The benefits of foil printing
Now that we’ve covered what it is and how it works, here are the key benefits of foil printing:
- Flexibility: Choose between gold or silver foil
- Premium look: The combination of foil and clear material can instantly elevate your product line
- Affordable: While one of the pricier sticker printing methods, it’s still more affordable than printing directly onto products
- Customization: You still get all our custom options - select your foil color, material, custom size, shape, and quantity
How durable is foil printing?
Foil printing is very durable and can last outdoors for years. In fact, foil is often more durable than standard inks or many other printing methods.
Of course, how long your foil sticker lasts depends on the material. Our clear vinyl is more durable than the eco-friendly clear option.
Most foil stickers are laminated with a liquid coating or a thin plastic or eco-plastic layer to protect the design.
Foil printing is an excellent choice if you want to add a luxurious look to your products, packaging, or event cards. It helps your designs stand out and look polished.
And with our customization options, it’s easy to get exactly what works for you - whether you want gold or silver foils, clear vinyl, or a wood pulp base.
Get started now by exploring our premium foil sticker range. Let's begin with gold foil - the classic.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Enter your email below to stay up to date on Sticker it's latest, including new product launches, exclusive deals and more.