Definition: Hot Foil Stamping is the application of metallic or pigmented foil on to a solid surface by application of a heated die onto foil, making it permanently adhere to the surface below leaving the design of the die. Once foil is applied, this is a permanent process. Foil: Foils come in a wide selection of colours and finishes, from the most commonly used metallic gold and silver to foils with pearlescent and holographic effects.

In our words: Foil is a specialty finishing treatment that can be added to any of your printed products. Foil can come in various colours and finishes. From the most commonly used metallic gold and silver to foils with pearlescent and holographic effects. The image above has five colours used to create the AEM logo.

When saving a file with foil stamping, you must include a foil stamping mask file in addition to your print file. The mask file must be in the exact position as per the print file. If the area you are foiling has a coloured background, please leave the fill of the background in the file. If your are foiling a logo or type, do not include them in your print file. Please note, the mask file must be vector art created in a vector based programs such as Illustrator. The foil stamping mask file is used to show where the foil needs to be applied. Be sure to only use solid 100% black. Colour code: C-0%, M-0%, Y-0%, K-100%) to indicate where you would like the foil applied. Do not use shadows, glows or grayscale images. The black mask file should be on a plain white background. Accepted file mask file types: pdf, eps or ai. This information is also available on our FAQ page along with other resourceful information.

All of our foil stamping is done in-house at your Mississauga location just outside of Toronto. Anytime you add foil stamping to your printed products, it does add 1-3 days of production time. There is a die cost involved with everything that you wish to foil stamp. Dies can be reused on other printed products or on repeat orders. The die is made out of metal and is generally a one time fee. Approximate cost per die is an average of $85-$125 depending on the size of the die. Once you have purchased a die, the only other costs involed are application of the foil. Each side and each location will add an application cost of approximately $85 for up to 1,000 foil impressions and $40 per additional 1,000 after the first.