Perfectly shiny surface elements in gold, silver, copper, aluminum and metallic colors can be transferred to the substrate by hot-foil stamping. A base film is covered with a layer providing the color and a hot-melt glue (adhesive coating layer). The image can be transferred under pressure and heat by using a heated block (letterpress block). Ideal presses are letterpress machines and flat-bed die-cutters. Hot-foil stamping is primarily used for goods such as packaging for cosmetics, sweets, and drinks as well as for catalog covers.

In narrow-web flexographic presses embossing is often done in-line. Holograms can be transferred similarly with conventional hot foil stamping machines. The holograms are first embossed into the foil and then applied with a coating. This foil can then be applied like a gold foil, for example, using the hot-foil stamping technique with a repeat length control.