Cold foil printing is a new metallic decorative printing technique whereby adhesive is applied to the base paper with a printing plate and the foil is then transferred onto the adhesive. Unlike conventional hot stamping, it does not require heat or pressure (hence the term “cold”). Cold foil printing can be combined with offset or flexographic printing to produce the finished product in a single pass. Cold foil printing is also more accommodating of multi-colored designs than hot stamping.
Cold foil can be imbued with a range of striking colors to produce eye-catching metallic patterns that create a more lasting impression than simple gold or silver foil.
The design benefits of cold foil are summarized below.
①Multi-colored metallic patterns
Color is printed directly onto silver foil to create multi-colored metallic effects. Unlike conventional hot stamping, where individual colors are applied separately to the foil, offset printing can be used on cold foil directly after the transfer process to add multiple colors in a single pass.
②Gradation
Offset printing uses halftone dot printing plate to regulate the depth of color of the foil. The result is a revolutionary level of metallic gradation.
③Intricate designs featuring delicate line patterns and text
Hot stamping uses high pressure to transfer the foil, which can damage delicate lines and text. Cold foil, which does not require pressure, can faithfully reproduce delicate text and line patterns down to 0.1 mm in width.
Cold foil produces a superior finish to hot foil stamping on printed materials and packages where delicate lines and patterns are involved.
- Printed matter such as magazines, photo books, manga and pamphlets
- Posters, company brochures, calendars
- Product packaging for cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, health foods, ordinary foods and games
- Bottle seals and labels, POP
Cold foil helps to reduce lead times.
Foil stamping is normally performed after printing as a separate process, adding time as well as expense. Cold foil printing can be used to add metallic elements as part of the actual printing process, which is a much more efficient solution.
Photos courtesy of Taiyodoh Co., Ltd. and Joho Print Corporation