Foils vs Varnishes – how do I achieve the effect I want?

Special inks, varnishes, foils and embossing can all enrich a design, enhancing the perceived quality of packaging, displays and the products that they showcase. Not only does this increase the likelihood that a shopper will purchase a product, it also increases how much they are willing to pay for it - by as much as 50 per cent*.

When it comes to special finishes there are endless options and combinations, which can leave you with more questions than you start with. Will I achieve better effects with silver varnish or silver foil? Does soft touch varnish really feel noticeably soft to the touch? Do I need a double layer of opaque white? How does cold foil stamping work, if I use uncoated board?

Our team of friendly print and finishing experts at STI Group can help you answer all these questions and more with greater confidence. We conduct regular workshops on topics related to print, finishing and materials at our Inspiration Store, a groundbreaking retail environment located at our head office in Lauterbach. Under expert guidance, workshop participants receive an overview of different print and finishing processes; then, using practical examples and taking specific needs and concerns into account, they will feel more able to select the ideal combination that meets their packaging and display objectives.

Our LOOK BOOK is a mini showcase of printed samples, which together provide an overview of the effects that can be created using offset, flexographic and digital printing on different materials. All workshop participants will receive one of these valuable tools, free of charge, as a handy reference guide to take away with them.