What is hot foil stamping and which surfaces can it be used on?

Foil stamping is one of the best-known ways to make a logo stand out on boxes and bound items. A heated metal die presses a thin foil onto the surface, and the foil takes the shape of the die as it bonds.

Which surfaces is it used on?

• Covered rigid board boxes
• Leather and faux leather
• Album and notebook covers
• Some fabrics and paper types

Preparing your logo

Very thin lines and very small text can fill in during stamping. Sending your logo as a vector file helps the die come out sharp. Gold and silver read best on dark backgrounds, darker foils on light ones.

How it differs from embossing

Embossing uses no foil; the surface is simply raised or pressed in by the die. The two can also be combined.