A bright gold metallic foil design pressed onto a dark shirt
Foil

Metallic & Foil Printing in the Bay Area

Foil printing bonds a thin, mirror-bright metallic film to your design for a shine no ink can match. A special adhesive is printed in the shape of your art, then foil is heat-pressed onto it — leaving brilliant gold, silver, rose gold, or holographic metal exactly where you want it.

How foil printing works

We print a foil adhesive in the exact shape of your design, then lay metallic foil over it and hit it with heat and pressure. The foil bonds only where the adhesive is and peels away everywhere else, leaving a crisp, brilliant metallic print. It comes in a range of finishes — classic gold and silver, rose gold, and eye-catching holographic and rainbow foils.

Foil transfers for small runs

The same metallic look is available as a ready-to-press foil transfer — great for smaller quantities, mixed garments, or reorders without a full screen setup. Foil is a decorative finish, so it’s best on bold shapes and lettering; very fine detail can be tricky, and we’ll flag anything at risk before we print.

Best for
  • Luxe merch and fashion pieces
  • Event, wedding, and party apparel
  • Metallic accents and bold lettering
  • Holographic and rainbow shine
How it works
  1. Art & quote. Send your design and pick a foil color; we confirm fit and quote it.
  2. Proof & adhesive. You approve a proof, then we print the foil adhesive in register.
  3. Press the foil. We heat-press the metallic foil onto the adhesive and peel.
  4. Ship. Folded, counted, and shipped — free on orders over $200.
A bright gold foil design pressed onto a dark shirt
Our promise

Real metallic shine, exactly on your lines.

Foil is all about clean adhesive and a crisp press. We register the adhesive precisely and press at the right heat and dwell so the foil grabs sharply and the edges stay clean — no flaking, no haze.

  • A real proof before we run adhesive
  • Gold, silver, rose gold & holographic options
  • Available as direct print or press-ready transfer
  • Satisfaction guaranteed — 15+ years of printing
FAQCommon questions

Metallic & Foil Printing, answered.

What foil colors can you do?

Gold and silver are the classics, plus rose gold, other metallics, and holographic/rainbow foils. Tell us the look you’re after and we’ll match a foil to it.

How durable is foil printing?

Foil is a decorative finish — it’s durable with care but not as bulletproof as a cured screen print. Wash inside-out on cold, skip the dryer, and don’t iron directly over it, and it will keep its shine.

Can foil be combined with regular ink?

Yes — a popular look is a printed design with foil accents on a logo or lettering. We print the standard inks and add the foil element in register.

Do you need a big order for foil?

Direct foil printing follows our screen-printing minimum, but foil transfers let us do smaller runs and reorders. Tell us your quantity and we’ll recommend the best route.

Other printing techniques
A raised, soft 3D puff print lettering on a custom t-shirt
Puff

Puff Print

A raising agent lifts the ink off the shirt for a soft, 3D, spongy finish — the retail-favorite look that begs to be touched.

A thick, raised high-density screen print with sharp glossy edges
High-Density

High-Density Printing

Ink built up in sharp, glossy, raised layers with crisp vertical edges — including clear high-density gloss and raised heat-transfer versions.

A soft, faded water-based print soaked into a cotton t-shirt
Water-Based

Water-Based & Discharge Printing

Ink that soaks into the fibers instead of sitting on top — an ultra-soft, almost printless feel. Discharge does it on dark garments.

An all-over sublimated design covering a polyester sports jersey
Sublimation

Sublimation Printing

Dye turned to gas bonds permanently into polyester for edge-to-edge, all-over color that never cracks, peels, or fades.

A full-color, photo-realistic simulated process screen print
Process

Process & Halftone Printing

Photo-realistic artwork screen-printed with halftone dots — simulated process on darks and 4-color CMYK on whites.

A t-shirt design printed in glow-in-the-dark phosphorescent ink
Glow

Glow-in-the-Dark Ink

Phosphorescent ink that charges under light and glows green in the dark — a hidden second design that only shows at night.

A sparkling glitter-ink print catching the light on a shirt
Glitter

Glitter Ink

Real metallic flakes suspended in the ink give a sparkling, textured finish that catches the light from every angle.

Bright neon fluorescent ink glowing under UV blacklight
Neon

Fluorescent & Neon Ink

Electric neon inks that pop in daylight and glow bright under UV blacklight — the go-to for parties, runs, and club nights.

A thermochromic print revealing a hidden design as it warms
Color-Change

Color-Changing Inks

Inks that transform with heat (thermochromic) or water (hydrochromic) — a print that reveals a hidden design when it warms up or gets wet.

A soft, stretchy silicone-ink print flexing with the fabric
Silicone

Silicone Ink Printing

Stretchy, ultra-soft silicone ink that flexes with the fabric and resists cracking — a premium, tagless-soft finish built for performance wear.

A crisp, bright print on a polyester athletic performance jersey
Polyester

Printing on Polyester

Special low-cure inks and blockers stop dye migration so prints stay bright and true on polyester, tri-blends, and performance fabrics.

Ready to make something great?

Get a fast, no-obligation quote — most within one business day. As few as one, no setup fees.