Foiling for Print

Have you ever wondered how some business cards, flyers and product packaging boxes feature metallic, shiny logos and text? That’s foil stamping, also known as foiling a subtle but beautiful way to enhance printed designs.
At Document Corners, foiling can be added to your print run via digital foiling or hot foil stamping – but what’s the difference? Here’s a quick guide to both methods and which one offers the best option for your print requirements…

Digital Foiling

If you’re looking for a faster turnaround and/or a lower price tag, digital foiling is the way to go. This method simply requires a digital artwork file, which tells the digital foil machine where to ‘print’ the foil onto the paper.

The pros of digital foiling:

More design flexibility. Digital foiling offers more design freedom as it can produce intricate designs, gradients, and fine lines that can be difficult to achieve with traditional hot foil stamping.

No need for additional equipment. Digital foiling can be done with a regular digital printer, while hot foil stamping requires special equipment and a skilled operator to set up the machine and stamp the foil onto the paper.

Lower cost for multi-color foiling. Digital foiling can produce multi-color foiling in a single pass, which can be more cost-effective than using multiple foil dies for traditional hot foil stamping.

The cons of digital foiling:

A disadvantage of digital foiling is that it may not be suitable for all types of paper or card stock. Some materials may not hold the foil well, resulting in a less crisp and defined finish. Additionally, the range of available foil colors may be more limited compared to hot foil stamping. Finally, digital foiling may not be as durable as hot foil stamping, as it is more prone to wear and tear over time.