Labels with hot foil stamping

Hot foil stamping is used in several ways

Roll labels with hot foil stamping are especially popular for standing out from the competition and attracting customers’ attention to your product. Labels with hot foil are often used in the wine, champagne, spirits or cosmetics industry, as well as on high-end foods. Hot foil stamping allows certain areas of the label to have a special texture on the surface, reflecting light in an eye-catching way. Hot foil can be combined with many other finishes. It ensures that your products leave a unique, exclusive and unmistakable impression. They are also known as hot foil labels or labels with hot foil. If you opt for custom hot-foil-finished labels, there are several things to keep in mind.

1. Correct creation of print files
2. Production, printing pressure and material
3. Test and select the material
4. Alternative options and extras
5. Shipping and processing

Thanks to hot foil stamping, it is possible to create sophisticated details that generate both visual and tactile contrasts, achieving an elegant and delicate finish. In the online calculator, you first choose parameters such as quantity or material. Then you select the hot foil that best suits your design.

How does hot foil stamping work?

If labels are finished with hot foil, an ultra-thin film is applied to the label surface in the desired areas. These coloured or metallic foils are stamped onto the label material using a special tool and heat. Almost all of our label materials, whether untreated, laminated or coated, are a perfect match for hot foil stamping. We offer a wide range of diverse and combinable hot foils so that there are no limits to your creativity. These include the following foils:

• metallic or transparent
• matt or glossy
• gold foil, silver foil and holographic foil
• copper, bronze and rose-gold effect
• pink, red, orange, blue or green
• and many more, upon request!

Hot foil stamping: Correct print files with etiqueta.es

To ensure that your print files are correct, there are several things to keep in mind when it comes to hot foil labels. But don’t worry, our artwork service can take care of that for you. Just choose the right package so that we can review and correct your files.

If you prefer, you can also download our free guide on how to prepare print-ready files. Please note that the elements and texts to be finished with hot foil must have a minimum thickness of 0.2 mm, and blank spaces or negative elements at least 0.4 mm. If you have any further questions about how to create print files correctly, please consult our tutorials.

Become an expert for print files

Do you want to create the print files for your hot foil labels yourself? Our tutorials will help you! We have prepared a collection of videos, texts and images that explain step by step how to correctly design the print files for labels with hot foil. We explain step by step how to correctly prepare hot foil stamping for a label. Please note the following:

• Set the colour as spot colour
• Set the spot colour to overprinting
• Verify colours using the preview separations option

In the tutorial, we use gold as an example for hot foil stamping, but of course you can choose other colours. The important thing is that you set the stamping as spot colour with the name “Hotfoil” and set it to overprint.

Note: When hot stamping, unwanted variations can sometimes occur. When stamping elements such as contours, for example, there may be slight changes in the position of the element during production. In addition, very fine elements may fade on textured materials.

 

Production, printing intensity and material

Hot foil stamping uses a special tool, heat and pressure. The same tool is used several times to press the coloured foil in the desired place on the label material. At etiqueta.es, we use a magnesium tool as standard, but of course you can choose from different options on request.

• Magnesium tool
• Brass tool

On the one hand, production-related fluctuations can occur during tool application. This means that, in some cases, the stamped elements are not 100% in the desired position. In addition, the pressure affects the appearance of the stamping. For larger elements more pressure is needed than for smaller elements. Therefore, different results may occur if a stamping tool includes small elements as well as large ones. For this reason, in these cases, we recommend making several tools, so that each element is stamped with the ideal pressure according to its size.

On the other hand, there are material-dependent characteristics: Thus, in large-scale hot foil stamping with delicate cut-outs on certain materials, effects such as fading or tearing of the foil may occur. In addition, coloured foils are often thinner than others and are therefore not suitable for textured materials such as cotton paper. Of course, we will be happy to advise you! In addition, we recommend a proof print to make sure that your label looks exactly as you planned.

 

Magnesium vs. Brass: A magnesium tool is inexpensive in the short term and provides sharp edges. In comparison, a brass tool is a more expensive alternative and is recommended for delicate items to be stamped. In addition, a brass tool is more durable, can be reused more times and is therefore more economical and resource-friendly in the long run.

 

Would you like to order a press proof?

We produce a small quantity of your hot foil labels under original printing conditions. Take advantage of our proof print option. This way, you can check whether you are satisfied with the print result and make sure that everything meets your expectations before final production.

Choosing the right material

At etiqueta.es we offer you a wide variety of materials for printing your custom labels, which harmonise perfectly with hot foil stamping. Depending on whether you prefer paper labels or polypropylene labels, we have several options available. In addition, we also offer sustainable solutions, without you having to make compromises in terms of aesthetics or functionality.

If you want your labels to be produced with a specific material, don’t hesitate to contact us– at etiqueta.es we have the solution for every application and situation! If you prefer, we can also activate materials for you in our online calculator.

… and the right adhesives
Depending on where your hot foil labels will be used, you will need different adhesion properties. We offer:

• Labels with permanent adhesive
• Removable labels
• Frozen food labels

Free sample …

Order your free sample book today. It contains countless design ideas and tips. In addition, it includes pre-cut labels that you can test on your product. This way you can confirm which material works best for you and check the quality of our materials and printing.

Buy before you try! If you would like to try out the foils and materials first, we recommend our free sample book. Alternatively, we can also prepare a customised sample folder on request. Call us on +34 932 71 64 00 or email us at info@etiqueta.es. We will be happy to help you!

Order sample book

Hot foil stamping with 3D effect?

If you combine hot foil stamping with blind embossing, you get relief embossing. It is considered the queen of finishes. Thanks to the combination of both techniques, elements stand out in a special way, creating an impressive 3D effect that is not only visual, but also tactile. The material is deformed in the desired area with an embossing tool and then enhanced with a coloured foil. In contrast, blind embossing does not use colour, but only highlights the partial deformation of the material. At etiqueta.es we specialise in embossing (embossed elements). Thanks to their tactile contours, labels not only gain in texture, but also in appearance. The difference in height creates an interesting play of light and shadow, making them a real eye-catcher.

In our online calculator you will only find the hot foil stamping option. If you want your labels to include relief embossing, contact us and we will be happy to help you.

Metallic labels as an alternative

Not only hot foil stamping creates a metallic effect. In addition to paper or polypropylene labels with hot foil stamping, we also offer metallic labels. These are a more economical alternative to hot foil stamping.

Hot foil workshop

In order to visualise and test how hot foil stamping will look on your product, we have prepared in our sample book a series of stickers with different shapes and silver hot foil stamping for you to experiment with on your product.

An extra dose of protection for your labels

Finishes are not only aesthetically pleasing, they can also be functional! These include protective matt or glossy varnish and film lamination. Protective varnish not only provides a higher quality or more eye-catching surface on your label, but also protects it from common wear and tear. The characteristics of the varnish should be aligned with your label material and hot foil stamping: for example, if you have a glossy coloured foil, we recommend choosing a glossy protective varnish. With film lamination, on the other hand, no varnish is applied, but a transparent film that adheres to the label, providing greater protection against more intense wear.

Both finishes can be combined with hot foil stamping and give your label additional protection against external influences.

Don’t have a design yet?

No problem! First of all, our free sample book will help you find ideas and provide you with a large dose of inspiration. Our design service will create a custom label for you. A designer will work with you to create the perfect label, with a unique and elegant hot foil design.

Shipping and processing

Printing custom labels with hot foil stamping can be a time-consuming process. At etiqueta.es, the production time and delivery time are displayed directly in the online calculator. In some cases, you can select the express production option to receive your labels even faster. Please note that the production process may be delayed due to errors in the printing files or the manufacturing of the embossing tool. In addition, we offer several shipping options for you to choose the one that best suits your needs.

After the production and delivery of your labels with elegant hot foil stamping, the next step is the automatic, semi-automatic or manual application.

What happens now?

You can find more information about our different finishes on our website. In addition to hot foil stamping, there are other options such as blind embossing, embossing and partial varnish. In our online calculator, you can configure your personalised hot foil labels in just a few steps. If you don’t find what you need in the calculator, please contact us. We will be happy to help you. You can reach us by phone at +34 932 71 64 00 or by e-mail at info@etiqueta.es.

Configure labels