Printed a QR Code on Foil Stamping: What Were the Results?

Foil Stamping QR Code

We received a question from a designer asking, "Can a QR code printed on foil be scanned?"

To be honest, we didn't have any prior experience with printing on foil, so we couldn't answer immediately. However, these types of questions from our clients are full of great ideas.

So, we decided to try it out ourselves.

The result? Yes, a QR code printed on foil can be read by a smartphone.

But that's not all. Let me explain the specifications and the entire process. I hope this helps anyone considering printing QR codes on foil.

Foil Stamping + QR Code

This project was done for Ignition Point, featuring their INOCC gibier sausage!

Specifications

Dimensions: H110 x W65mm
Printing: Letterpress printing
Material: Mirror coat (freezing adhesive)
Colors: 4 colors
Process: Gold foil stamping

As you can see, it's a 4-color design with foil stamping. The QR code printed on the round gold foil at the bottom right - can it be scanned by a smartphone? Let's find out.

The design was created by graphic designer Tadashi Jinno (a great person).

The size of the foil-stamped part is φ24mm. The QR code is 10x10mm. We selected Murata Foil No. 101, a matte champagne gold with low reflectivity (to avoid reflection issues that could prevent the QR code from being scanned).

The manufacturing process is as follows:

First, we performed 4-color printing, followed by gold foil stamping.

Then, we printed the QR code in K100%. We were concerned about how well the ink would adhere to the foil, but there were no issues at all. Phew! The entire process consists of three steps (4-color printing → foil stamping → QR code printing).

And snap! It scanned instantly without any issues.

QR codes printed on foil (10x10mm or larger) can be scanned successfully! So, that's that!