Foil Business Cards

Make Your Printing Shine

Foil stamping is a versatile way to give your business card a high-end and customized look. Add a touch of class or sass on a foil stamped business card featuring effects such as elegant metallics, ultra-glossy colors, shimmery pearl or distinctive textured and high-tech effects.

Foil can help boost your business. Research has shown that people perceive your product as having a higher value and quality with the addition of effects like foil to your business card and other printed marketing materials.

Cards with foil printing, called hot foil stamping or hot stamping, use the impressing of pigment or metallic foil to paper using heated dies. The stamping machine applies the foil onto the surface under high pressure, leaving the die design on the paper. Business cards with foil often feature foil text or graphics, such as logos. Your foil business card will stand out from the crowd with its distinctive and eye-catching impressiveness, giving you the advantage in the highly competitive marketplace.

A three dimensional foil image can be created by combining foil with embossing. Check out our foil stamping video below to see a stamping press in operation, and see some additional visual samples on our custom printing effects page.

Foil Options

Foil stamped business cards can pop with a variety of foil types:

Metallic Foil has a metal-like shine and shimmer, and is available in a variety of colors, including gold, silver, red, green, blue and copper.
Gloss Pigment Foil has a high gloss, but non-metallic finish, with numerous colors available.
Matte Pigment Foil has a dull, non-shiny finish in deep solid colors.
Special Effect Foils such as leathers, marbles, pearls or woodgrains add interesting textures and appearances.
Holographic Foil uses a hologram on the surface. It creates a dramatic “high tech” effect.

What Materials can be Foil Stamped?

Foil can be used on almost any paper, including synthetic, plastic and magnet paper. Our smooth-surfaced gloss, dull/matte and lustre uncoated cover stocks are ideal for metallic foil or other foil stamped business card looks. Linen and other rough textured papers are generally not recommended for foil, since it will not look as smooth and crisp due to the paper’s uneven surface.

Designing Foil Stamped Business Cards

Foil stamping can really make a business card shine. To get the best results:

Make sure there is a high contrast between the foil stamping and your card’s background. Foil stamping is opaque, so you can use a light colored foil over a dark background – or vice versa.
Use at least 8pt type in a professional-looking font that’s easy to read at a glance.
Business cards are printed on a large sheet that’s then cut into individual cards. To accommodate any slight cutting variations, we recommend that your design incorporate a 3mm “bleed” on the edges. Don’t put any text along the edges, and avoid borders that could appear off-center when cut.
Need help with getting business card dimensions right? Check out our business card design specification guide!

Using Your Cards

Cell phones and email can’t replace the tangible quality of a business card. When you hand out business cards at a networking function, you keep the focus on your conversation – not on a piece of technology.

The key to a successful business card is simplicity. Include the main information needed to get in touch with you or learn more about your company, and leave plenty of blank space.

Business cards help you present a professional image, especially if you are a new entrepreneur, work for yourself, or are interacting with people who have never heard of your business. Foil stamping makes cards look custom and upscale, sending a message that your business is successful and values quality.

Foil stamped business cards attract attention, especially when metallic foil is combined with embossing. Take advantage of this by placing your business cards in places where they’ll be noticed. Leave stacks at local businesses, put them on community bulletin boards, or place them front and center at trade shows.

Foil stamping gives business cards an upscale look and an added punch that will help people remember you and your company. Use them to promote your business and send a message that everything you do is marked by quality.