An old foiling strategy that’s still in use

As our name implies, the work we do consists of professional foiling services and delivering protective coatings for an array of different requirements. Over the years we have worked with clients in a multitude of industries. Our work involves the application of functional and decorative PVC films, hot transfer foils and protection film to a myriad of wood, metal, plastic, and paper products.

One of the many ways in which foil is applied to objects is with stamping. While it has not always been the same, this method has been around for an impressive number of years. The process used by specialists, which makes use of their chosen foils, heat, pressure and metal dies.

Early incarnations of this strategy were undertaken utilising customised engraved dies or hand-set lettering. Due to the fact that it was rather labour intensive, foil stamping was, at that point, mainly restricted to literary titles and book covers.

In order to print golden text onto a book cover, printers used separate fonts of brass or lead type. After the text or die had been assembled, it was then loaded into a press. Afterwards, the device pressed thin sheets of metallic foil, onto either a cover or another material.

After the designs have been finalised, metal dies are created in the correct shapes for every individual colour foil to be applied for a certain design. Next, the dies are heated and stamped with just enough pressure to seal a thin layer of foil to the paper, with each colour being applied separately through multiple press runs to create the end design.

At Foiling Services, our decorated sheets have a considerable range of uses, such as for wall cladding, decor panels and industrial mouldings. People often see foils as a way of increasing the appeal of their items, but they can be so much more if properly used. We have the knowledge and skills to do this.

If there’s anything you’d like to ask us about foils, we’d be more than happy to help.