Decorating, or imprinting, an item turns a commodity item into a custom made-to-order piece. Knowing which decoration method works best with different substrates will give you the best final outcome.
Offset Printing
Offset Printing is the process in which the offset ink is transferred from a plate to a blanket then to the printing surface. In four color process offset, the four process ink colors of cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK) are used to print the artwork and images. In spot color offset, the Pantone® Matching System is used to print the artwork and images.
Offset printing is traditionally applied to paper.
Silk-screen Printing
Silk-screen printing is the technique that uses a mesh screen to transfer the ink to the material. A negative design is burned onto the screen and then a squeegee moves across the screen forcing the ink thru the mesh openings onto the material.
Vinyl, poly and cloth turned edge materials are typically silk-screened.
Foil Stamping
Foil Stamping involves a metal plate that comes in contact with the metallic foil. It transfers a thin layer of the foil onto the surface. The metal plate is heated and that causes the foil to stick to the surface only in the areas of the designed die. This process is also know as hot stamping, since the die must be heated.
Typically paper, vinyl and cloth turned edge materials can be foil stamped.
Embossing
Embossing is the technique where a die is pressed into the underneath sides of the material to raise the image from the surface. Many times an embossing die is used in conjunction with foil stamping or printing. This gives a textured and more interesting look to the artwork. Blind Embossing is when only the embossing die is used to showcase the artwork.
Only paper can be embossed.
Debossing
Debossing is the opposite of embossing and the image is pressed down into the material. Brass and copper dies are mostly used to create the debossing die.
Paper, chipboard and vinyl products can be debossed.
Digital Printing
Digital Printing involves artwork being processed by a computer and then directly printed onto the surface. Digital printing eliminates the need for printing plates, screens or stamping dies.
Paper, vinyl and poly products can be digitally printed.