Foil stamped hang tags are the quickest way to make a cardboard tag look expensive. The metallic shine catches the light on the rail and makes a logo readable from several metres away – something no ink can do. Hot foil stamping does have rules, though: not every design reproduces cleanly, and the price depends on things you can't see on the mock-up. Here is how the process works, step by step, and how to prepare your artwork so there are no surprises.
How it's made: the process step by step
- The die. First a metal die is made with a mirror-image relief of the logo. Magnesium is typical for short runs, copper for longer runs and finer detail, and brass for the biggest volumes and for combination foil-and-emboss work.
- Heating. The die is mounted in a press and heated – for paper and board usually somewhere around 100–140 °C, depending on the foil and the stock.
- Foil. A ribbon of foil runs between the die and the board. It is multi-layered: a polyester carrier film, a release layer, a colour lacquer, a vacuum-metallised aluminium layer and a heat-activated adhesive.
- Pressure. The press pushes the hot die against the foil and board for a fraction of a second. The adhesive activates and bonds the metal layer only where the die is raised.
- Release. The carrier film peels away, leaving a clean metallic image. The foil advances and the cycle repeats.
- Cutting and punching. Finally the tags are die-cut, the holes are punched and, if specified, eyelets are fitted.
Woven label 8 cm x 3 cm - brand and logo
Jacquard woven label LBL 0030 6 x 3 cm – black style with white letters, soft premium design, with logo
Woven label 5 cm x 5 cm – logo for brandsFoil types
- Gold – in several tones: yellow gold, pale gold, champagne. The most requested for clothing tags.
- Silver – cool and modern; superb on black or navy board.
- Rose gold and copper – warm, fashionable tones for womenswear and lingerie.
- Holographic – a rainbow effect for youth and streetwear brands, sometimes used as an anti-counterfeit feature too.
- Pigment foil (matte or gloss colours) – solid opaque colour with no metallic sheen. White pigment foil is the best way to put white on black or kraft board.
- Matte metallic – a brushed, satin metal that reads quieter and more luxurious.
Design rules that save money
Minimum line width
As a guide, lines should be at least 0.25–0.3 mm thick, and gaps between neighbouring elements at least 0.3–0.5 mm. Thinner lines break up, and narrower gaps fill in, because foil spreads slightly beyond the edge of the relief.
Why fine serifs fill in
With small type and delicate serifs – classic typefaces below about 6–7 pt – heat and pressure grow every element by a fraction of a millimetre. The counters of letters like "a", "e" and "o" close up and the text turns blotchy. The fix: foil the logo and larger headings, and print small copy in ink.
Large solid areas
The opposite problem: a large solid foil area (more than a few square centimetres) can show bubbles or patchy coverage, especially on textured board. An outlined logo, or one split into smaller elements, is safer.
Board and surface
Smooth board gives the crispest result; on heavily textured stock fine detail disappears. Laminated surfaces, soft-touch in particular, take foil very well but need a foil grade that's compatible with the laminate.
Tip: supply vector artwork (AI, PDF, EPS) and place the foil on its own layer as a solid 100% spot colour named "Foil". That way nobody has to guess.
Artwork checklist
- Foil sits on its own layer as a solid colour – no tints, no gradients.
- All text is converted to outlines.
- Lines are at least 0.25–0.3 mm and gaps at least 0.3 mm.
- The foil colour is specified, e.g. "matte gold" or "gloss silver".
- Any embossing is on a separate layer that registers exactly with the foil.
What drives the cost
- The die. A one-off cost paid per design and per size. On short runs – say 500 pieces – it often costs more than the foil itself. Repeat orders with the same artwork reuse the die.
- Number of foil colours. Each colour is a separate die and a separate pass through the press.
- Area. A bigger logo uses more foil and needs more pressure.
- Run length. Make-ready takes the same time for 500 or 5,000 pieces, so the unit price drops sharply with quantity.
When foil beats ink
Metallic gold ink (a Pantone metallic) prints as a dull brownish yellow – it never looks like real metal. If you want shine, foil is the only route. Foil is also the only clean way to put white or metallic colour onto black board, because ink opacity is limited. Ink wins, however, for photos, gradients and very small text.
Foil plus embossing
The most luxurious combination is foil with embossing: a single sculpted brass combination die both covers the logo in metal and lifts it above the surface. It needs a dense board – at least 350–400 gsm – or a laminated tag so the impression doesn't show through on the back. The result is something people see and feel.
FAQ
Does foil rub off?
With the right temperature and pressure, foil is very resistant to scuffing in normal tag use. Problems come from poor press settings or the wrong foil for a laminated board.
Can you foil a woven label?
On textile labels, a metallic look is usually achieved with metallic yarn woven into a jacquard label or with print on satin. Browse our woven and satin labels, and for a metal accent on the garment itself, our metal snaps and rivets.
How long does production take?
It depends on die making, quantity and complexity. Ask for a lead time when you send your enquiry.
Bul-tex manufactures garment trims and accepts custom orders for brands. If you'd like foil stamped hang tags in your own design, contact us. And if you're torn between foil, spot UV and embossing, have a look at our other label articles.
