Hot Foil Stamping & Embossing

Hot stamping is a specialized printing process that uses heat & pressure to embellish the surface of an item. It can be done with foil to produce a shiny metallic finish – or without foil where the image is pushed in with no colour. Hot stamping requires a stamping block to be made in the image to be stamped.

Foil stamping

The “printing” is done using an industrial foil with a special adhesive backing. The heat and the pressure of the machine makes the foil bond with the surface of the item being stamped. A foil stamp is a permanent image on the surface of an item and looks shiny, glossy and smooth. Generally, promotional items can be foil stamped in gold, silver or black or a limited range of other metallic colours. Exactly which other colours depends on the surface of the item to be stamped however the range of colours is limited. Foil stamping requires no drying time and will not rub off under normal use conditions.

Foil stamping can be done on most items whether they are made from leather, vinyl or PU as well as onto card and paper and plastics.

Blind stamping or debossing

Blind stamping, also known as debossing, stamps an image without an colour. Blind stamping is where an image is pushed into the surface of an item such as a bag or compendium and leaves a permanent impression in the surface of the item.

Blind stamping is a subtle way of embellishing a finished item such as a compendium or travel wallet or wine carrier. Items made from genuine leather will blind stamp best. Bonded leather items will also take blind stamp. Some vinyl and PU items can also be blind stamped however this is on a case by case basis and will depend on the artwork. For non-leather items usually artwork which consists of line-work or thinner areas of art blind stamp the best. Sometimes, the cross hatching of the backing fabric can become apparent in a blind stamp onto a non-leather item and the result may or may not be pleasing to your client. Based on our experience with the particular non-leather item, we may recommend you get a pre-production sample blind stamped in advance of the rest of your order to ensure that your client is 100% happy with the result that can be achieved.

*Embossing is a process where an image is pushed up from behind. This can only be done onto card & paper. Ask to be sent more information about this.

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The history of Apex Goldstamping Co.