Hot stamping, a new range of colors and effects to embellish the cards

Refinement, quality, uniqueness, are all values that come to mind when looking at a card with hot stamping. On top of enhancing the print quality and personalization, the card is embellished with many colors and effects that can be combined with any type of graphics. The increasing demand for hot stamped cards has led ABACICARD to enlarge the range of possible colors and effects. Many colors are now available metallic, holographic, glitter or glass effects, all giving the hot stamping with a sense of elegance and sophistication.

What is foil hot stamping?
Foil hot stamping is a special stamping process that uses heat, pressure and film. When the hot press comes into contact with the foil, the foil separates from the carrier adhering to the card surface. Unlike thermography and lithography, hot stamping does not use any ink. As a result, the film’s color does not change depending on the color of the material on which it is applied.

Hot stamping on top and underneath the overlay
Hot stamping foil can be applied on top of or underneath the protective overlay laminate. Hot stamping on top of the overlay lamination, gives the card a prestigious look, also tactile, as one may feel a slight thickness in the area where the film was applied. It is ideal and suitable for the retail world, as a way to embellish cards with attractive decorative elements. Hot stamping underneath the lamination, offers an even stronger hold, since the film stamped onto the card is protected by the overlay. The application will therefore have a longer life span. In this case, it does not only have aesthetic value, but can be considered as a security feature because it will be extremely difficult to reproduce or falsify the card. This is particularly suitable for Banking and ID applications.

Edge-to-edge application
Hot stamping foil can be applied edge-to-edge in both solutions, reproducing complex graphic elements extending to the outer margins of the card. However, complex graphics that go edge-to-edge should be adequately assesses.