Print Studio Resources · Foil Business Cards
The Complete Guide to Foil Business Cards
Foil isn't one product — it's a family of finishes, each built differently and priced differently. This guide breaks down exactly what GDM offers, how each one is made, which colors are actually available, and which finish fits your card. Pick a color below to preview it, and use the shortcuts to jump between options.
How Foil Printing Actually Works
Foil isn't ink — it's a thin layer of pigmented film that gets heat-stamped onto the card using an engraved die. Wherever the die presses, foil bonds to the paper; everywhere else, it peels away clean. That's why foil edges are so crisp and why the color has that mirror-metal shine ink can never fully match.
Artwork & Die
Your foil areas are supplied as a separate vector layer. We use it to create (or program) the stamping die.
Base Print
The card's regular full-color design prints first on your chosen stock.
Heat & Foil
The die presses heated foil film only where your artwork calls for it — everything else stays untouched.
Finish & Cut
Cards get laminated (if selected) and cut to size, ready to ship.
Compare All Three at a Glance
| Product | Stock | Texture | Colors | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foil Worx | 14PT / 16PT C2S / 32PT Uncoated | Flat, flush foil | Gold, Silver, Rose Gold | Everyday premium cards, high run counts |
| Raised Foil | 16PT C2S, Velvet lamination | Embossed — foil you can feel | Gold, Silver, Holographic | Signature cards, luxury & hospitality |
| Dual Raised Foil | 16PT C2S, Velvet lamination | Embossed, two independent colors | Gold, Silver, Holographic (x2) | Standout cards, launches & events |
Choose a Finish, Then a Color
Foil Worx Business Cards
32PTUC-BCUCFO-2X3.5-55-RECT-FOIL…
Our workhorse foil card — a single hot-stamped foil accent on heavyweight uncoated stock. It's the most requested foil option in the shop: bold enough to notice, priced to actually hand out in volume.
Foil Color — 3 Available
Not quite right?
Previewing Gold Foil on Foil Worx
Raised Foil Business Cards
16PT-BCUCRDFOR-2X3.5-64…
Foil that you can feel. A raised, embossed texture sits under the foil so the design lifts off the card — velvet-laminated for a soft-touch finish that pairs a tactile edge with a mirror shine.
Foil Color — 3 Available
Not quite right?
Previewing Gold Foil on Raised Foil
Dual Raised Foil Business Cards
16PT-BCSUDDURFOFR-2X3.5…
Two raised foils, one card. Layer a primary foil with a second raised color for a two-tone metallic look — think a gold monogram with a silver rule line, or a holographic accent against a solid foil field.
Primary Foil Color — 3 Available
Second Raised Color — 3 Available
Not quite right?
Previewing Gold + Silver on Dual Raised
Getting Your Artwork Foil-Ready
Foil is a separate manufacturing step from your printed design, so your file needs to tell us exactly where it goes.
Vector Foil Layer
Supply the foil area as a clean, closed vector shape on its own named layer (e.g. "FOIL"). No gradients or photos — foil is a solid, single-color stamp.
Mind the Fine Detail
Thin lines and small text can tear during stamping. Keep foil strokes and letterforms at a reasonable minimum weight — we'll flag anything too delicate before production.
Leave Breathing Room
Keep foil elements a small distance from the card edge and from other foil colors on dual-color cards, so the dies don't fight each other during stamping.
Foil FAQ
Ready to see foil on your own design?
Tell us which finish you're leaning toward (or let us help you decide) and we'll put together pricing for your quantity.
Get a QuoteColor names and availability confirmed directly against each product's live configurator. Foil Worx offers Gold, Silver and Rose Gold only; Raised Foil and Dual Raised swap Rose Gold for a Holographic option instead — no single product currently offers all four colors together.