Stamping foil is a dry, solvent-free process that uses the minimum amount of energy to deposit a metallic or pigment effect onto packaging.
There are no emissions created during the process.
Polyester film is used as the carrier as it is the lightest weight stable film we can use for the process and at a thickness of just 0.012 mm.
Foil stamping should not be confused with aluminium foil lamination or metallised film lamination.
During the hot stamping process, the polyester film is removed at the time of stamping whereas with laminates they become an integral part of the packaging.
The thin polyester film used as a carrier for the hot stamping foil has a high calorific value.
We, therefore, convert our waste to solid recovered fuel (SRF) to be used in the cement industry.
This is used as a replacement for fossil fuels such as coal.
12 tonnes of the polyester film replaces 10 tonnes of fossil fuel. We encourage our customers to join our Zero foil 2 Landfill initiative so that we can collect the used polyester and add it to our SRF.
Foilco manufactures its foils in various widths as well as offering a cutting service in order to deliver the optimum width and minimise the waste created.
All our foils are vegan, except one small gloss pigment series which contains beeswax.
The definition of compostable is something that can be used as compost when it decays.
Our foils are compostable.
The definition of biodegradable is a substance or object capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms.
The difference between compostable and biodegradable is that there is no time frame set for the product to biodegrade.
Our foils are biodegradable.
The definition of repulpable is the process of re-wetting and fiberizing of paper/board to disperse the paper fibres, ink and hot stamping foil into a pulp medium to reproduce more paper/board.
Through independent testing with SGS IPS, paper/board that was foiled with our foils with a coverage of 80% could be repulped.
Sustainable packaging is packaging that, over time, reduces its environmental footprint.
By adding our hot stamping foil to packaging it increases its perceived value which can then lead to it being reused, extending its life-cycle and therefore creating a better opportunity for a circular economy around the packaging.
Current information states that hot stamping foils are considered an “article” and therefore not subject to preregistration or registration.
It is not necessary to register any articles provided that they contain less than 0.1% by weight of Substances of Very High Concern ( SVHC ).
As our foils also meet this requirement, we are pleased to confirm that our foils meet all current REACH requirements.
Lightfastness is the resistance of our foil to fading or colour change due to exposure to sunlight or an artificial light source.
Lightfastness is predominantly governed by the pigment type used in each foil.
Individual tests can be carried out on our foils to meet customer’s specific requirements. However, most of our foils comply with standard 4.
We’re passionate about explaining the environmental benefits of stamping foils and it’s of paramount importance to us to change some of the existing misconceptions and perceptions about foiled papers and boards.
Did you think the metallic effect on the foil meant you couldn’t recycle it? You can, as long as the material/substrate that you foil onto is repulpable. Once transferred foil is so thin, that it dissipates within the re-pulping process. #NotAnotherEnvironmentalPolicy
We are environmentally responsible and provide support to the print industry by reducing the amount of foil waste. We are the first foil company to be certified as ZeroFoil2Landfill compliant – A scheme backed by the BPF.
Using a specialist waste management company, Foilco can now work alongside printers and print finishes to recover their own foil waste, which is converted into SRF – a higher quality and more environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuel(s).
All our products (except KMS/KMP grades – which include a small amount of beeswax) are vegan-friendly. The foils contain no animal ingredients or animal by-products, no known animal-derived GMOs or genes in the manufacturing process, and haven’t been tested on animals.
Material Safety Data Sheets are available on request and should you wish to find out more about the composition of our foils, you may contact one of our representatives.
Foilco understands Environmental awareness is present in the majority of economic sectors.
We are pleased to hold certification of the ISO 14001:2015 standard. An internationally recognised award that indicates a business’s internal activities aligned to the responsible protection of the environment.
The final audit determined “There were no major or minor non-conformance(s) at any point of the assessment. A first in my career as a BSI ISO auditor”.
It is within our interests to do what is right for the industry but it is our mission to play our part in doing what is best for the planet.
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