Q: What is the minimum order quantity for effect foils?

Each effect ships from one master roll (~3,000 linear m). For qualification, we send free sample rolls cut to your press width — no minimum on samples.

Q: How does cold foil compare to hot stamping for effects?

Cold foil matches or exceeds hot-stamping visual quality for large areas and medium-to-long runs, at up to 10× the press speed and with no die lead time. Hot foil still wins for deep embossed texture on very small areas. See our hot-vs-cold foil guide for the full decision matrix.

Question 1

What are the main cold foil effects?

Accepted Answer

CFS groups cold foil stamping into three visual families: Holographic (diffraction grating — sharp rainbow/prismatic), Rainbow / Iridescent (thin-film interference — soft color shift), and Metallic (aluminium reflector with gold, silver, copper or rose-gold pigment). All three run inline on the same UV-flexo or offset press.

Question 2

How do I choose between holographic, rainbow and metallic?

Accepted Answer

Choose holographic when you need maximum shelf impact, security patterns or limited-edition spectacle. Choose rainbow/iridescent for premium gifting, K-beauty and soft-luxury moods. Choose metallic for classic luxury, heritage branding and the widest substrate compatibility. If you're unsure, request free sample rolls of all three.

Question 3

Can all three effects run on the same press job?

Accepted Answer

Yes — as long as each effect area is separated by at least 3 mm and uses its own flexo plate/foil web station. Many converters run metallic gold plus holographic accents on the same carton in a single pass.

Question 4

Are cold foil effects recyclable?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All three effect families use the same thin-deposit aluminium layer (<5 g/m²), which keeps decorated mono-material paperboard within EU PPWR 2027 recyclability thresholds. We supply technical compliance letters per shipment.

Question 5

What is the minimum order quantity for effect foils?

Accepted Answer

Each effect ships from one master roll (~3,000 linear m). For qualification, we send free sample rolls cut to your press width — no minimum on samples.

Question 6

How does cold foil compare to hot stamping for effects?

Accepted Answer

Cold foil matches or exceeds hot-stamping visual quality for large areas and medium-to-long runs, at up to 10× the press speed and with no die lead time. Hot foil still wins for deep embossed texture on very small areas. See our hot-vs-cold foil guide for the full decision matrix.

Parameter	Holographic	Rainbow / iridescent	Metallic
Visual mechanism	Diffraction grating	Thin-film interference	Aluminium reflector + pigment
Brightness	Very high — prismatic	Medium — soft shimmer	High — mirror specular
Best substrate	Matte black / dark	Cream / ivory / coated	Any coated or uncoated
Brand mood	Bold, futuristic, limited	Premium, calm, gifting	Classic luxury, heritage
CMYK over-print	Yes, 30–60%	Yes, 30–60%	Yes, 30–60%
Press speed	Up to 450 m/min	Up to 450 m/min	Up to 450 m/min
Tooling	Flexo plate only	Flexo plate only	Flexo plate only

Cold foil effects — holographic, rainbow & metallic, inline at 450 m/min.

Three cold foil families. One inline press.

Holographic cold foil

Rainbow & iridescent cold foil

Metallic cold foil

What every CFS effect has in common.

Inline at press speed

CMYK over-printable

Recyclable-ready

One supplier, one QC chain

Substrate flexibility

Zero VOC, solvent-free

Holographic vs rainbow vs metallic cold foil.

Application-led effect selection.

Cosmetics & K-beauty

Wine, spirits & beer

Confectionery & gifting

FMCG limited editions

Choosing the right cold foil effect.

See all three effects on your substrate.