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INKspiration! Enhanced Raised Foil vs. Foil Stamping

A photo graduation announcement with traditional foil stamping is shown next to one with enhanced foil.

Today, we’re showing you a side-by-side comparison of Enhanced Raised Foil and traditional Foil Stamping on White Smooth, 115 lb, 5 x 7 flat cards. Each packs a powerful punch and offers a uniquely stunning look for custom foil printing, but to really appreciate their qualities we needed to go in-depth with some up-close imagery.

Photo graduation announcements featuring foil shown with rolls of foil.

ENHANCED RAISED FOIL is also known as Scodix printing. The most important thing to know about Scodix printing technology is that it offers both shine AND texture at about half the price of traditional foil stamping. Scodix printing is a three-step UV-based foil printing process. The raised effect is created by a liquid polymer, which is applied and partially cured with UV lights. Then foil is applied and cured under a second set of UV lights. The result is a luminous foil and tactile experience.

A closeup of enhanced gold foil on a photo graduation card.

The graduation announcement we’ve sampled here shows the texture of Enhanced Raised Foil beautifully! The graduation year is big and bold with subtle grooves reflecting the light. A sprinkle of confetti in the same foil shows a lighter level of detail at the top and bottom of this announcement. Enhanced Raised Foil is available in four colors: metallic gold, matte gold, metallic silver and matte silver. This announcement features metallic gold.

A gif showing the shine of enhanced gold foil.

FOIL STAMPING is a traditional print process that has seen some incredible popularity in the last 10 years. Everyone is over the moon for foil! We’re not surprised because foil stamping is such a uniquely beautiful print process. Here we’ve sampled the same graduation announcement in rose gold foil. Foil stamping may be more expensive than Enhanced Raised Foil but you get to choose from close to 20 different foil colors. Paired with digital printing, you can create some pretty amazing custom print stationery and/or business materials.

A gif showing the shine of traditional foil stamping.

The smooth finish of Foil Stamped designs and wording is simply gorgeous. You can see how the sprinkled confetti design retains that same smooth finish and crisp detail. The process of traditional Foil Stamping includes a heated die stamped onto foil, which adheres to the surface of the paper and leaves the design of the die behind. The foil used for each print process is actually the same; the foil roll is just a different size. What makes Foil Stamping stand apart is the use of a metal die.

A closeup of rose gold foil stamping on a photo graduation card.

You’re probably wondering if I have a favorite. Or you’re not wondering and I’m just going to tell you anyway that I do not. I really don’t. You’d think I would like one more than the other but I truly love them equally…just for different reasons. Enhanced Raised Foil achieves a beautiful shine but for half the price, and you can’t beat that! Not to mention that texture looks amazing when utilized with patterns (we’ll have to touch on that another time). However, Foil Stamping is so classy and so pretty it’s tough not to appreciate its smooth shimmer and almost jewel-like clarity. You tell us…what’s your favorite? Drop us a comment about our custom foil printing at customercare@tog.ink. Or start shopping Enhanced Raised Foil products and Foil Stamped products to find the perfect fit for your next project.

Shanna
Title: Content Writer
Years at The Occasions Group: 18 years
Favorite Print Process: Thermography
Secretly I’m really good at… "throwing games! Bag toss, ladder golf, skee ball. I won’t be winning any championships but I can hold my own."