Ready to create a design that really shines? Foil printing is the process of adding reflective foil to your screen printing design and is sure to draw the right kind of attention.
When to Choose Foil Printing
Foil printing is a great choice when you want your design to stand out; think T-shirts for your brand ambassadors to wear at an exhibit booth. It’s also perfect for special occasions, such as the 25th anniversary of your business or your first company retreat. You can choose to have the entire design done in foil, or just highlight and accentuate certain elements by using foil only for the design inlays or details. Picture your company’s logo, screen printed on the front of a T-shirt, with a drop shadow in foil. Foil printing isn’t limited to one color option either: Different color foils can be used in different parts of the design.
The Foil Printing Process
First, the design is screen printed as normal. Then, the color foil sheet is selected and laid on top of the printed design. The foil is heat pressed onto the fabric and then it is set aside to cool. The extra foil is then pulled away. Because the screen printing ink is an adhesive, there’s no extra glue needed to make the foil stick to the fabric. If only part of the design is to be foiled, a special additive is included in the screen printing ink called foil resist. Foil resist is used in all the places where foil should not go, enabling the printer to create detailed designs and foiled inlays.
Care
The secret to a long-lasting, foil-printed T-shirt is proper care. Always wash your foil prints inside out, in cold water on a gentle cycle. Your garment should be hung to dry and the foil design should never, ever be ironed.
Cost
Different projects always vary in price depending on the options you choose. But for foil printing, you can expect to pay for an additional color plus about a dollar more per shirt than if you had chosen a standard screen-printed design.
Foil printing isn’t for every project, but it can be perfect for that special one on the horizon.
If you would like help choosing the best printing technique for your next project, contact the Full Press Apparel team at 850-222-1003 or info@fullpressapparel.com.
