Printed and coloured hair foil
Printed hair foil carries a pattern or logo; coloured hair foil is tinted across the whole surface. We print by gravure in up to 9 colours, with a minimum of 3,000 boxes per design. Each design needs its own plates and repeats along the length of the foil. The ink is tested against bleach and developer.
Key specs
| Thickness, alloy and temper | As the pop-up, pre-cut or roll foil it is applied to |
|---|---|
| Finish | Smooth, honeycomb emboss, diamond emboss |
| Colour | Gold, rose gold, black, printed |
| Printing | Gravure, up to 9 colours |
| Box type | As the pop-up, pre-cut or roll foil it is applied to |
| MOQ | 3,000 boxes stock; 3,000 boxes per design custom |
| Lead time | 25–30 days from order to dispatch; samples in 10–15 days |
Price depends on thickness, size, finish and quantity: see hair foil pricing and MOQ and lead time by format.
Coloured foil vs printed foil
The two are different products that are often asked for in one sentence.
Coloured foil is tinted over its whole surface: gold, rose gold, black and other solid colours. Colourists use it to tell sections apart, one colour for each formula, as much as for the look of the brand.
Printed foil carries a design: a logo, a pattern or a repeat of both. It is the foil a salon client sees and photographs, which is why brands use it.
Both are made on a coloured or printed coil before the foil is cut or folded, so either can be supplied as pop-up sheets, pre-cut sheets or rolls.
Print limits
A design for foil is drawn within the limits of the press.
| Limit | Value |
|---|---|
| Printing method | gravure |
| Colours per design | Up to 9 colours |
| Repeat spacing | Set by the design and the plate plan |
| Plate cost | 92 USD per colour; one plate for each colour in the design |
| MOQ per design | 3,000 boxes per design |
The design repeats along the length of the foil, and it is cut into sheets without regard to where the repeat falls. Artwork that depends on a single centred image per sheet needs discussing before plates are made. File formats, colour modes and the checks we run are on custom printed hair foil, and the box templates on dielines and artwork templates.
Ink safety with bleach
Printed foil is folded around hair that is coated in lightener and developer. The question every buyer of printed foil asks is whether the ink stays on the foil.
Printed ink vs bleach and developer
- What it checks
- Does printed ink come off or transfer to hair?
- How
- Expose printed foil to bleach paste under the conditions the product allows, wipe it, and check the print and a white hair swatch.
The method, the before-and-after photographs and what the test does not cover are on printed hair foil ink vs bleach: how we test.
Designs we’ve produced
Designs printed for a client belong to that client. We show a design here only if it is our own or the client has agreed, and we do not print a client’s artwork for anyone else.
QC checks for printed and coloured hair foil
How we test hair foil| Test | What it checks | How |
|---|---|---|
| Printed ink vs bleach and developer | Does printed ink come off or transfer to hair? | Expose printed foil to bleach paste under the conditions the product allows, wipe it, and check the print and a white hair swatch. |
Compare formats
Pop-up vs pre-cut vs roll hair foil, compared in full| Pop-up | Pre-cut sheets | Roll | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it dispenses | One sheet at a time, from the box | Lifted from a flat stack | Pulled and cut to length |
| Sheet length | Fixed | Fixed | Any length |
| Hands needed | One | One or two | Two, plus a cutter |
| Offcut waste | None | None | Depends on the cutting |
| Suits | Standard sizes at a busy station | Long and wide sheets | Mixed lengths in one service |
Printed and coloured hair foil FAQ
Does printed hair foil ink come off on hair?
Hair Foil Factory tests printed hair foil in bleach paste and checks the print and a white hair swatch afterwards, recording the developer strength, mixing ratio, contact time and temperature. The method and the limits of the test are on the printed ink bleach test page.
How many colours can be printed on hair foil?
Hair foil can be printed in up to 9 colours by gravure. Each colour needs its own plate, so the number of colours affects the plate cost. The design repeats along the foil at a length set by the plate.
What is the MOQ per printed design?
The MOQ for printed hair foil is 3,000 boxes per design. The minimum applies to each design, because each design needs its own plates and its own print run.
Can you match a Pantone colour on foil?
A Pantone colour can be matched on hair foil, within limits: ink on reflective aluminium looks different from the same ink on white paper. We match to your Pantone reference and send a printed sample. The sample you approve becomes the reference for later batches.