Hair foil samples
Stock hair foil samples are sent from standard sizes and finishes and are dispatched in 1–3 days. A custom printed sample is made from your artwork after plates are made, and takes 10–15 days. Samples travel by courier. The sample you approve is the standard your order is made to.
Stock samples
A stock sample is foil we already make: a standard size, in a standard thickness and finish, in a plain or our own box. It answers the first questions. Is the gauge what you expect? Does it fold and hold? Does the pop-up box dispense? Which emboss pattern do you prefer?
Ask for more than one option. Two thicknesses of one size, or one size in smooth and embossed, tell you more side by side than either does alone.
| Stock sample | |
|---|---|
| What you receive | Foil in standard sizes and finishes |
| Time to dispatch | 1–3 days |
| Sample cost | Free |
| Courier | Paid by the buyer |
Custom samples
A custom sample is your product: your print on the foil, your artwork on the box, your size and count. It is made on the production line with the plates your order will use, so it shows what the order will look like.
| Step | You provide | We deliver |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Brief | Format, size, thickness, quantity, target market, launch date | Specification and quotation |
| 2. Artwork | Artwork files on the dieline | Print-ready proof for approval |
| 3. Plate | Proof approval, plate fee | Printing plates |
| 4. Sample | Courier address | Printed foil and box sample |
| 5. Approval | Written approval, deposit | Production schedule |
| 6. Production | Nothing further | Production photos on request |
| 7. QC | Third-party inspection booking, if wanted | Inspection report |
| 8. Shipping | Forwarder details or delivery address | Shipping documents |
The sample comes after the plates, which is why a custom sample cannot be rushed, and why its cost includes more than the foil.
| Custom printed sample | |
|---|---|
| What you receive | Printed foil and printed box, to your specification |
| Time to dispatch | 10–15 days, from approved artwork |
| Sample cost | Paid by the buyer, quoted with the design |
| Plates | 92 USD per colour, one plate for each colour in the design |
| Courier | Paid by the buyer |
| Refund | Refunded when the order reaches 500 boxes of pop-up foil, 1,000 boxes of pre-cut sheets, or 1,500 rolls |
What to check when samples arrive
A sample is only useful if it is tested the way the product will be used. These checks need no laboratory.
| Check | How | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness | Micrometer, or weigh a piece of known area | The gauge you specified |
| Folding | Fold the foil wet, with lightener on it | A crease that holds, with no tearing |
| Comb | Draw a tail comb across the foil | No piercing |
| Dispensing | Pull every sheet from a pop-up box | One sheet per pull, to the last sheet |
| Flatness | Open the box as it arrives | No bent or creased sheets |
| Compare with your Pantone reference in daylight | Colour and sharpness you accept | |
| Ink | Soak printed foil in lightener; wrap a white swatch | No ink on the swatch |
| Box | Open, close and stack it | Board that holds its shape; a clean opening |
Each of these matches a test we run ourselves; the methods are on how we test hair foil.
From sample to order
Approving a sample fixes the specification. We keep the approved sample, or its twin, as the reference, and the order is inspected against it. State your approval in writing, with any tolerance you accept on colour.
If the sample is not right, say what is wrong in measurable terms: the thickness, the fold width, the colour reference. A corrected sample follows before production starts.
To begin, request samples. The steps after approval are on private label hair foil.
Sampling FAQ
Are hair foil samples free?
Stock samples of standard hair foil sizes are free; the buyer pays the courier. A custom printed sample is paid for by the buyer, and its cost is refunded when the order reaches 500 boxes of pop-up foil, 1,000 boxes of pre-cut sheets or 1,500 rolls.
How long does a custom printed sample take?
A custom printed hair foil sample takes 10–15 days at Hair Foil Factory, counted from approved artwork. Plates are made before the sample is printed, which is why it takes longer than a stock sample, dispatched in 1–3 days.
What should I test when samples arrive?
When hair foil samples arrive, check the thickness with a micrometer or by weight, fold the foil wet with lightener, draw a tail comb across it, pull a full pop-up box sheet by sheet, and look for bent sheets in the box. For printed foil, soak a piece in lightener and check a white swatch.
Is the sample cost refunded on order?
The cost of a custom hair foil sample is refunded when the order reaches 500 boxes of pop-up foil, 1,000 boxes of pre-cut sheets or 1,500 rolls. Stock samples are free, so there is nothing to refund. Courier charges are paid by the buyer.