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What is Hot Stamping

Hot stamping is very common in our daily lives. Many items may have adopted the hot stamping technique, such as business cards and gift box packaging. Hot stamping can give the design a unique effect. This effect attracts many people, and they are curious about how hot stamping specifically creates a fantastic effect on objects. In this blog, we will introduce hot stamping in detail from aspects such as its origin, types, applications, advantages and disadvantages, to help you better understand this technique.

What is Hot Stamping

Hot stamping, also known as hot foil stamping, is a technique that creates unique effects by transferring foil onto a substrate surface. This transfer process primarily relies on heat and pressure. As a post-printing finishing technique, hot stamping is widely applied to various materials such as paper, plastic, and fabric. Hot stamping can impart a luxurious effect to the substrate surface, enhancing the design’s uniqueness and texture.
You can have a more intuitive understanding of the specific manifestations of hot stamping through the following video (taking hot stamping on paper bags as an example):

The Origin of Hot Stamping

Hot stamping is a time-honored technique that originated in Europe and can be traced back to the 17th century. At that time, hot stamping was mainly used to decorate book covers, adding a sense of nobility and luxury to exquisite books.
In the 19th century, hot stamping gradually became popular, and the applicable substrate materials were greatly expanded, including silk, leather, etc. The first patent for hot stamping was recorded in Germany by Ernst Oeser in 1892. He invented the composite structure of hot foil sheets, which marks the birth of modern hot stamping.
From the late 20th century to the early 21st century, digital hot stamping technology emerged, making the hot stamping process more flexible and enabling personalized hot stamping on individual sheets of paper.
With the passage of time, the hot stamping technique has gradually been widely applied in commercial printing and has become an indispensable design approach.

Types of Hot Stamping

According to the different equipment and specific processes in the production process, hot stamping can be divided into flatbed hot stamping, rotary hot stamping, and rotary-flat hot stamping.

1. Flatbed Hot Stamping

Flatbed hot stamping is the most traditional method of hot gilding.
It is achieved by heating the mold and applying pressure to imprint the foil onto the surface of the substrate. During this process, molds with special patterns are usually used, and heating equipment and presses are required for operation.
Compared with other processes, flatbed hot stamping is relatively simple to operate and has a lower error rate. However, its production process is slow.

2. Rotary Hot Stamping

Rotary hot stamping is accomplished by using two relatively rotating rollers.
The foil and the substrate are conveyed synchronously, with the foil on top and the substrate at the bottom, moving together towards the gap between the two rollers.
Under the heat and pressure of the rollers, the foil is precisely transferred to the corresponding pattern position on the surface of the substrate.
Compared with other types of hot stamping, rotary hot stamping is the type with the fastest production speed and the highest degree of automation. However, the cost of rotary hot stamping is relatively high, and it is only suitable for processing large quantities of flexible substrates. Usually, it cannot handle hard substrates such as thick cardstock.

3. Rotary-Flat Hot Stamping

The biggest difference between rotary-flat hot stamping and flatbed hot stamping lies in that the former requires a hot stamping machine equipped with a metal roller.
During the production process, there are usually molds engraved with designs on the rollers. The molds can be replaced to achieve different designs. The foil is heated by the roller of the hot stamping machine and directly embossed onto the surface of the flat substrate.
The speed of rotary-flat hot stamping is superior to that of flatbed hot stamping, and it can handle slightly curved substrates. However, the accuracy of rotary-flat hot stamping is lower than that of flatbed hot stamping.

Types of Foil

The most crucial material for hot stamping is foil. Different foils will have different visual effects. The common foils are as follows:

1. Metallic Foil

Metallic foil is the most classic and common type, used to imitate the metallic texture. Common colors include gold, silver, etc.
Metallic foil can enhance the luxury feel of products and is suitable for formal custom designs. However, metallic foil is mainly limited to basic colors such as gold and silver, and may not be as visually striking as other foils.

2. Pigment Foil

Pigment foil offers an opaque and intense solid color effect with strong coverage. This type of foil is available in a variety of colors and is often used to present bright text or patterns on a dark background.
Pigment foil is more diverse than metallic foil and is suitable for the young market or creative products. However, pigment foil does not have a metallic luster, and its visual effect is flatter.

3. Holographic Foil

Holographic Foil is a special type of foil. It has dynamic optical effects. The color of the holographic foil will change with the angle, presenting rainbow colors or special pattern effects.
Due to this unique visual effect, holographic foil is widely praised in the field of art. In addition, it has anti-counterfeiting functions and can be used for goods that require authentication. However, compared with other foils, its cost is relatively high.

4. Matte Foil

Matte foil typically features a non-glossy or low-gloss finish, presenting a subdued, understated texture. Additionally, this foil often possesses a slight sandblasted feel, enhancing the tactile experience.
Matte foil avoids the excessive glare of metallic foil, making it ideal for designs that emphasize intricate details. However, it is necessary to pay attention to its usage layout. In some designs, using too much matte foil may appear lifeless.

Applications of Hot Stamping

Thanks to its unique effect, the application fields of the hot stamping technique are very extensive. The common applications of hot stamping are as follows:
1. In the Field of Paper Printing: The hot stamping technique is most commonly used in the printing process of various paper products, including business cards, invitations, books, etc. The use of the hot stamping technique can enhance the texture of paper products and make the design more attractive.
2. In the Field of Packaging: The hot stamping technique can print text, patterns and logos on various types of packaging materials to enhance the recognition and personalization of products.
3. In the Field of Clothing: The hot stamping technique can print logos, patterns and other designs on clothes, shoes or other garments to enhance brand image.
4. In the Field of Electronic Products: Hot stamping technique is also very common on the shells of electronic products. By printing logos on the shells of electronic products, the brand value and texture of the products can be enhanced.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Hot Stamping

Advantages:

1. The hot stamping technique can print high-quality patterns and text on the substrate, offering a good texture and visual effect.
2. The hot stamping technique can be applied to various types of substrates, including paper, plastic, fabric and metal etc.
3. The patterns and characters produced by the hot stamping technique can remain on the substrate for a long time without fading or wearing out.
4. The hot stamping technique does not require the use of solvents or chemicals. Therefore, the process of hot stamping is environmentally friendly.

Disadvantages:

1. The hot stamping technique requires special devices (such as hot stamping machine, etc.). These devices are expensive, so the initial cost of the hot stamping technique is relatively high.
2. The hot stamping technique is not suitable for very delicate designs, and it isn’t easy to perfectly present the details of the design.
3. Once the molds used in the process of hot stamping are completed, modifying the design requires remanufacturing the mold. Therefore, the flexibility of hot stamping technique is relatively poor, and the production process cost is also high.

Frequently Asked Questions about Hot Stamping

1. What’s the difference between hot stamping and cold stamping?

Hot stamping adheres the foil to the substrate through heat and pressure. The effect is more durable and brighter, but there are requirements for the heat resistance of the material.
Cold stamping uses UV glue to bond the foil at room temperature. It is faster and applicable to a wider range of materials, but its wear resistance and gloss are usually not as good as those of hot stamping.

2. What are the common materials used for molds in the hot stamping process?

The mold transfers heat and pressure to the foil and determines the precision of the hot stamping pattern. Commonly used mold materials are as follows:

Copper Dies: Copper dies are the most mainstream choice. The copper dies have good thermal conductivity, so they can evenly heat the foil and achieve perfect printing of the design. Moreover, copper dies are wear-resistant and have a longer service life. However, the price of these copper dies is relatively high.
Zinc Dies: Compared with copper dies, zinc dies are affordable. Because zinc is relatively soft, it is easy to carve, and the production cycle is relatively short. However, the service life and thermal conductivity of zinc dies are both inferior to those of copper dies.
Magnesium Dies: Magnesium dies have the lowest price and the shortest production cycle. They are soft and can be designed into various shapes, but they have the poorest thermal conductivity and wear resistance.

3. What preparations need to be made for hot stamping when designing?

A spot color channel or a separate vector layer needs to be provided to indicate the area for hot stamping. This layer usually needs to be marked with a specific color. Make sure that the lines and text are not too thin or too small.

Conclusion

Hot stamping technique can enhance the texture and visual effect of the design. This technique is not only used in commercial products but is also very common in personalized artworks. You can contact relevant manufacturers or purchase a small hot stamping machine by yourself to obtain items with hot stamping effects.

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What is Hot Stamping

What is Hot Stamping

Table of Contents:

What is Hot Stamping

The Origin of Hot Stamping