Foil blocking & embossing: Premium print finishes explained
In an overwhelmingly digital age where communication can be instant, it’s easy to question the role of print. Perhaps surprisingly, given the fact I’m a printer, I’d agree that print is no longer necessary for all trades. However, if you’re a brand looking to stand out and convey a sense of quality then I’d argue investing in high quality print should be at the forefront of your brand and marketing plans.
Dan & Becks, owners of Jot Press specialist foil blocking & embossing printer in Liverpool
Introducing Dan & Becks from Jot Press, a specialist foil blocking & embossing printer
I’m a co-founder of Jot Press, a creative print studio based in Liverpool. With our collection of vintage presses, we combine traditional print methods and sustainable materials to translate designs into tactile pieces of print. We specialise in foil blocking, embossing and die cutting to produce small-scale print such as brand and event stationery. We work collaboratively with clients to find the right materials and finishes to bring out the best in their design and our aim is to create something people will want to hold onto.
1. What is foil blocking and embossing printing?
Foil blocking and embossing printing are premium printing techniques that use a combination of heat, pressure and bespoke dies (imagine a cookie-cutter, but for paper and card) to create top notch print finishes. If you want tactile printed items that have flair and stand out a mile from your average online printer, you need to consider foiling and embossing.
Foil blocking essentially applies a metallic or pigmented foil to the surface of the cardstock, whereas embossing uses a stamp to create a raised, 3D effect. (Debossing is the opposite - you get a recessed effect). Both methods elevate the end results of the printing in your customer’s hands which is the primary reason why you’d consider foil blocking or embossing. They convey a sense of distinction, underlining the character of your brand and overall make your marketing more memorable.
For design-conscious brands that want elevated print items for marketing —especially interior designers, garden designers and architects — foil blocking, embossing and other classy print finishes (don’t forget to investigate sustainable print options) offer a highly effective way to enhance the impact of your branding or marketing, and with flair.
2. Why luxury print still matters for design-conscious brands
We all crave tactility in a digital-first world, especially if you’re an interior designer, architect or garden designer. While my inbox is currently sat at 48 unread emails from brands (that’s just today!), I have on my pinboard a selection of embossed thank you notes, elegant swing tags and invites that I’ve collected over the years.
While digital communication is effective, it can be fleeting. Our ethos at Jot Press is if you’re going to invest in print for your business, make it something people will want to hold onto. It can be the difference in a potential client remembering your business over someone else.
3. The role of sustainability in premium print finishes
Paper is a sustainable material, and the manufacturing of paper is highly regulated. All the paper we source at Jot Press is FSC paper or FSC certified, meaning it has been grown in sustainably managed forests.
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Excitingly - for us print nerds at least - paper mills are increasingly finding innovative approaches to achieve sustainable print finishes, such as incorporating by-products from other industries to create premium, textured papers. In the past year at Jot Press, we’ve printed on FSC papers made with by-products from cotton, brewer’s grain, coffee cups, seaweed, almonds, cocoa beans and grass.
A close up of Joanna Tucker interior designer’s business card with embossing, debossing and wonderful flecks of post-brewing waste
Example: Joanna Tucker interior designer using a sustainable print finish
Joanna Tucker is an interior designer in Salcombe who currently uses Gmund Bier Weizen (brewers grain).
This paper is sourced directly from the Gmund mill in southern Germany near Munich, which uses the byproduct of the brewing process, namely several types of spent brewer's grain. Beers that feed into the paper include lager, pils and ale. One of the unique characteristics - and a wonderful highlight - is the gentle flecking of brewer's grain, which creates a unique fleckling and subtle texture on the surface of the paper.
Learn more about the Joanna’s interior design branding & website project.
Another shot of Joanna’s business card in action
Example: Studio Fitzpatrick garden designer using a reclaimed print product
Studio Fitzpatrick is a garden designs studio in East Sussex that currently uses Gmund Heidi.
Gmund Heidi (what a name!) is another high-end sustainable print product with lots of character and a refined style. This paper is very thick so essentially a card material, made from reclaimed board. The raw material of Gmund Heidi has already seen a lot of action in its previous incarnations, so having being pulped and prepped, every sheet is unique, which is what make it so special.
Learn more about Studio Fitzpatrick’s garden design branding & website project.
At Jot Press, and for many of our colleagues in the print industry, there is a real emphasis on sustainability. We keep tooling for embossing or foil blocking for future reprints and achieve eco-friendly foil blocking by using biodegradable foils. Any by-products from the printing or finishing process are recyclable.
Most of the machinery we use is many decades old and has been refurbished over time. Our most recent addition to the studio is a press made in 1894 and is still going strong. We use it for die-cutting and embossing and it’s powered by our legs! It’s proving to be an excellent alternative to a Peloton.
4. Practical tips on how to achieve luxury print finishes
Consider foil blocking for print items
Foil blocking is achieved by making a die with your design, adding heat and pressure to apply the foil to the paper. There is an inherent tactility to this process which adds a premium feel. Foil blocking has traditionally been associated with metallic colours but they are available in a range of colours and finishes.
Don’t stress if your paper or foil isn’t an exact match
Unless you’re printing in vast quantities, I advise choosing paper or foil colours that complement your brand rather than seeking exact matches.
Keep print paper and finishes simple
Simplicity is key. With beautiful materials and finishes, you can have the confidence to keep the design simple.
Opt for heavier weight papers in your printing
When looking for paper, opt for heavier weights, textured finishes, or recycled materials. Lots of brand designers can make recommendations or you can work with a printer like us who will be happy to advise.
5. Creative ways to use foil blocking, embossing & premium print finishes
Play around with different colour cardstock
Most thick cards are made by duplexing (gluing two sheets of paper together) but it doesn’t have to be the same colour so you can glue two different colours together (as long as they are roughly the same thickness). Wildings Studio used this for their notecards so their signature green is on the front of the card with a paler colour on the reverse for writing notes onto.
Add shape with die-cut stickers
If shapes are important in your work or brand, perhaps you could incorporate them into your print through die cutting. Organic forms were used throughout interior designer Joanna Tucker’s brand, and this was reflected in her stickers which were kiss-cut in a custom pebble-shaped sticker.
Reuse your print tooling for consistency & economy
The print tooling or die is a significant part of the cost when it comes to foil blocking. This is a fixed cost within every project, so if you want lots of variation, you need lots of dies, which quickly adds to the cost. Speak to your designer about using the same size logo or text across more than one print item so you can use the same tooling again and again.
6. The one print investment every design-led brand should make
It’s hard to say there’s one print investment to be made as each business is so different! Here are some considerations for different types of businesses:
Foil blocking on business cards for networking
Eye-catching business cards at a trade show or networking event will be hugely valuable. When we started JotPress, we exhibited at trade shows and print fairs and quickly discovered the lure of a foil blocked business card. We’d have people admiring them and taking a few different colourways for their desk. It led to connections that are still proving fruitful all these years later. If you’re still not convinced, there’s always the classic business card breakdown scene from American Psycho with Patrick Bateman…
Printed thank you cards for e-commerce businesses
For an e-commerce brand, a beautiful thank you card adds something special to the unboxing experience for their customer and is more likely to be shared on social media. A client of ours, who is in the luxury fashion sector, is constantly tagged in customer photos on Instagram featuring their beautifully wrapped new product and the handwritten thank you note with their logo embossed, putting their brand front and centre in lots of customer-generated content.
Premium swing tags for fashion brands
If you are selling fashion, the swing tags should reflect the quality of your garment and elevate it. A poorly printed, flimsy tag may not create the perception of your brand you would like it to.
7. Final thoughts: Why foil and embossing still make an impact
We practice what we preach at Jot Press. After investing in branded materials and packaging to send out our orders, the feedback was hugely positive. Our clients are more likely to tag us in photos that share our brandmark, and when they do, I feel proud of how it’s been presented.
Read more about foil blocking, embossing and premium print finishes:
Foil Blocking: The Ultimate Metallic Print Finish by Johnsons Printers
Embossing and Debossing Secrets for Elegant, High-End Finishes by Metallic Elephant
Everything You Need to Know About Print Finishes by Ashley House
About the author:
Dan & Becks Jennings are the co-founders of Jot Press, a foil blocking and embossing print service based in Liverpool. They specialise in hot foiling and giclée printing, using sustainable materials and minimising waste. They also stick a range of stationery & tools from their studio. You can find them online at jotpress.co and also follow what they do on Instagram @jotpress.
About Wildings Studio
Thoughtful, beautiful branding and websites for design-led businesses
Wildings is a website designer for small business offering website design. Based in South Devon, UK, we deliver small business website design for design-conscious brands like garden designers, interior designers, architects, circular ethos restaurants, speciality coffee shops, organic cafés and boutique hotels.
