What is foiling? 

Traditionally, the foiling process is a bespoke printing method applying a metallic foil using heat and pressure of a custom metal plate or die etched from your artwork. The die is heated up with the foil sheet placed between the die and the surface of the paper. When the die is applied to the paper, the foil bonds to the surface, producing the metallic effect.  

As foiling requires a lot of setup and time, the standard turnaround time is 7-10 business days, or express printing services are available on request. If you are after a luxurious option, go for a full foiled wedding invite or you can opt for a smaller foil area such as a border, graphic or selection of text. Hot stamp foiling can also be combined with digital printing, white ink, letterpress, or embossing/debossing for something extra. When choosing all foil or a letterpressed and foiled invite, there is the option of a premium 400-600gsm cotton paper for that extra WOW factor. The great thing about foiling is it looks great on the majority of paper stocks from white cotton and linen to vibrant and darker colours.    

A metallic foil is a great way to make your wedding invitation stand out. We can foil all cards in your stationery suite, from your Save the date, RSVP and directions card right through to your bellybands and even envelopes. Foiling can also be added to die cut and folded wedding invitations. Please keep in mind, however, that foiling cannot be used for variable data such as personalised names or addresses. It is best used with text or vector artwork and whilst a double-sided foil is achievable on a thick cardstock, a single sided foil is recommended. Before quoting on foiling, we will need to see the invitation design or artwork if possible as pricing can vary depending on size and intricacy of the foil area. 

Foiling Options  

- HOT STAMP FOIL

Hot stamp foiling is a beautiful way to create premium wedding stationery. Available to use on a range of stocks from uncoated, coated, textured, and on different weights from 150-700gsm. Our hot stamp foil colour options are gloss gold, matt gold, gloss silver, matt silver, rose gold, copper, bronze, black, white, clear and a range of other colours available upon special request such as pink, blue, and gold and silver confetti. 

- DIGITAL FOIL 

For a more cost-effective option we also offer digital foiling which can be just as lovely and has a beautiful, raised finish. Rather than being stamped onto the paper, digital foil or metallic scodix is printed and still produces a lovely shiny finish. Colours available are metallic gold, silver and rose gold and printed on a premium matte velvet coated card. 

- DIGITALLY PRINTED FAUX FOIL 

On a tight budget? We can also offer a faux foil where the metallic finish is replicated and worked into the design and digitally printed. This is a great option for those wanting a nice metallic effect without the price tag and can be turned around much quicker.  

Design Options  

Both hot stamp foiling and digital foil (scodix) can be used for a border, graphic or selection of generic text but not personalised names of variable data. Something to consider when designing for foil is to avoid fine lines, or small fonts or graphics as they can get lost or fill in during the stamping process. A good guide for foil designs is using lines at least 0.5 pt in thickness and fonts no smaller than 8 pt in size. We can also only foil from a vectorised artwork and not photographs or images, so stick to fonts or lined graphics for your foiling area. 

Not sure you can provide suitable artwork for foiling? No problems, our team at Storm Design can help setup your provided file for print or design an artwork from scratch. 

What next?

Whether you choose a hot stamp foil, a digital foil or a faux foil Sydney Wedding Printing can help in producing high-end sparkly wedding stationery that will stand out from the crowd. 

Contact us today for a wedding consultation via our online form or by calling 02 8203 1800.