What Is Metallic Printing on Clothing?

At 1WorldPrint we add metallic finishes to clothing for brands, bands, businesses and events across the UK, using two methods: screen printing with metallic ink, and foil printing. Both give your artwork real shine, but they look, feel and wash differently, so choosing the right one makes a big difference to the finished garment.

In this guide

• Metallic Printing on Clothing Explained
• Metallic Ink vs Foil Printing
• How Metallic Screen Printing Works
• How Foil Printing Works
• Metallic Colours: Gold, Silver and Rose Gold
• The Best Garments for Metallic Printing
• Designing Artwork for a Metallic Print
• Who Uses Metallic Printing?
• How to Wash Metallic and Foil Prints
• How Much Does Metallic Printing Cost?
• How to Order Metallic Printing
• Metallic Printing FAQs

Metallic Printing on Clothing Explained

Short answer: a print with a shiny, metallic finish, most often gold or silver, applied with metallic screen printing ink or with foil.

A standard print has a flat finish. A metallic print reflects light, so it shimmers and changes as the person wearing it moves, which is what makes it stand out across a room, on a stage or in a photo. With clothing there are two ways to get that finish. Metallic ink is a screen printing ink with fine metallic particles mixed into it. Foil is a thin sheet of metallic film that is bonded to the garment with heat and pressure. The bright gold on the design below is foil, combined with a standard black print for the script lettering.

Metallic Ink vs Foil Printing: What Is the Difference?

Short answer: metallic ink gives a soft shimmer and will last as long as a normal screen print, while foil gives off a much brighter, mirror like shine but needs more care.

Both methods start on a screen printing press, but the finish is very different. This is how they compare:

	Metallic ink	Foil
Finish	Soft shimmer and sparkle	Bright, reflective, mirror like shine
How it is applied	Screen printed like any other ink, then heat cured	An adhesive is screen printed, then metallic foil is heat pressed onto it
Feel	Smooth, similar to a standard plastisol print	Smooth, with a slightly firmer surface
Detail	Best for bold shapes and lettering	Best for bold shapes and lettering
Durability	Very hard wearing, shine softens slightly over time	More delicate, needs gentle washing
Best for	Merch, uniforms and anything washed often	Fashion pieces, launches and statement designs
Minimum order	20 units per design	25 units per design

If you want maximum shine for a fashion range or a launch, foil is tough to beat. If the garments are to be worn and washed each and every week, metallic ink is the more practical choice. Speak to your Account Manager, who can recommend the right option for your design. You can also mix them, with standard ink colours alongside either one.

Get a metallic printing quoteor call 0208 064 1315

How Metallic Screen Printing Works

We print metallic ink in exactly the same way as any other screen printing colour. Your design is burned onto a fine mesh screen, the ink is pushed through the mesh onto the garment, and the print is heat cured under an industrial dryer so it bonds with the fabric. The difference is in the actual ink itself: it contains tiny metallic particles that sit near the surface of the print and reflect the light once it has cured.

Because those particles have to pass through the screen, metallic ink is printed through a more open mesh than a standard ink, which is why it suits bold artwork rather than very fine detail. It is matched to Pantone metallic references, such as 871 C gold and 877 C silver, so you can specify the exact shade. Our guide to Pantone colours in screen printing explains how metallic references work alongside your standard brand colours.

We print metallic ink in two types:

• Metallic plastisol ink. The most popular choice, with a strong, consistent metallic finish that lasts.
• Water based metallic ink. A softer feel on the garment, often chosen for eco conscious projects, while still giving a refined metallic look.

How Foil Printing Works

Foil printing is a two stage process. First, a special adhesive is screen printed onto the garment in the shape of your design. Then a sheet of metallic foil is laid over the top and heat pressed, so the foil bonds to the adhesive. When the sheet is peeled away, the foil stays only where the adhesive was printed, leaving a bright metallic version of your artwork.

The foil is a continuous film rather than particles in an ink, so it reflects a lot more light, which is what gives it that mirror like finish. The adhesive is screen printed, so foil follows the same rules for artwork as a screen print, and it can be combined with standard ink colours on the same garment.

Metallic Colours: Gold, Silver and Rose Gold

Gold and silver are by far the most requested metallic colours, but each one is available in a range of tones:

• Gold comes in warm, rich tones or paler shades closer to champagne.
• Silver can be bright and polished, or darker with a gunmetal look.
• Rose gold is a popular foil shade, as on the K-BIRD design above, and works well for fashion and beauty brands.

Metallic ink shades are set with Pantone metallic references, while foil comes in set shades. If you have a particular metallic colour in mind, tell us when you ask for a quote and we will confirm the closest option for your chosen method. For more on how colour choices affect a screen print, see our guide to metallic, puff and glow in the dark colours.

The Best Garments for Metallic Printing

Metallic prints work on most of the garments we print, including t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, polo shirts and tote bags. A few little things help the metallic finish look its best:

• A smooth surface. Tightly knitted cotton and cotton rich fabrics give the cleanest, brightest metallic finish, especially for foil.
• A dark garment. Gold and silver have the most contrast and impact on black, navy and other dark colours.
• A garment worth the print. A metallic finish adds perceived value, so it pairs well with a good quality blank.

Our guide to which t-shirt is best for printing compares the blanks that give the crispest results, and our guide to the best hoodies for printing and embroidery covers heavier garments. For a big metallic statement, a metallic print also works as part of a jumbo screen print on an oversized t-shirt.

Designing Artwork for a Metallic Print

A metallic finish rewards bold, confident artwork. The tips below will help your design print well:

• Send vectored artwork. Metallic ink and foil are both applied through screens, so we need an AI, EPS or vector PDF file.
• Keep it bold. Allow for solid shapes, logos and lettering to show off the shine. Very fine lines and tiny text can fill in or lose definition.
• Use metallic as a highlight. One metallic colour alongside standard colours often looks more striking than an all metallic design.
• Mark the metallic parts. Set the metallic areas as their own colour in your file, or tell us which parts should be metallic.
• Think about size. Larger areas of metallic catch more light, so a chest print or back print gives the most impact.

Who Uses Metallic Printing?

Metallic prints suit any garment that needs to look and feel special, rather than everyday. The clients that request them most are:

• Bands and artists. Gold and silver catch the stage lights and turn a simple logo into tour merch fans want to keep. Our guide to band merch printing covers garments, sizes and finishing.
• Fashion and streetwear brands. Foil and metallic ink give a retail collection a premium finish, and combine well with relabelling for your own neck labels.
• Businesses and events. Metallic logos work well for launches, awards nights, anniversaries and Christmas parties, where the clothing needs to look celebratory.
• Sports clubs and teams. A gold print is a natural fit for celebration and winners' shirts.

Metallic is not the only speciality finish we offer. If you would rather have texture than shine, puff printing gives a raised 3D print you can feel, and the two can even be used in the same design.

How to Wash Metallic and Foil Prints

A little extra care keeps a metallic print shining for much longer, and foil in particular benefits from gentle washing:

• Turn the garment inside out before washing.
• Wash on a cool setting with similar colours.
• Avoid the tumble dryer and dry the garment naturally.
• Never iron directly over the print.
• Avoid bleach and harsh detergents.

Our wash care guide has more advice on keeping printed clothing looking its best.

How Much Does Metallic Printing Cost?

Metallic ink and foil cost more than a standard screen print, because the materials are more expensive and foil adds an extra stage to the process. The price per garment depends on:

• Quantity. Screens are set up once, so the more garments you order, the lower the price per piece as the set up fees are split over the order.
• Number of colours. Every colour, metallic or standard, requires its own screen.
• Method. Foil takes an extra application stage compared with metallic ink.
• Print positions and size. Each position needs its own set up, and larger prints use more ink or foil.
• The garment. The blank you choose is a massive part of the price.

This is how metallic printing compares with our other finishes:

Finish	Look and feel	Best for	Minimum order
Metallic ink	Flat print with a soft metallic shimmer	Merch and uniforms that need to shine	20 units
Foil	Bright, mirror like metallic shine	Fashion ranges and statement designs	25 units
Puff printing	Raised, soft 3D texture you can feel	Bold logos and lettering	25 units
Standard screen printing	Flat, smooth and vivid, with exact Pantone matching	Most designs, and the best value on bulk orders	20 units
Direct to film	Flat, full colour transfer	Detailed, multicolour designs on smaller runs	8 units

Special finishes add to the cost, so they are usually best kept for merch you are selling or garments that need to impress. Our guide to keeping t-shirt printing costs low shows where to save so you can spend on the finish that matters. Business customers can also apply for a credit account with 30 or 60 day terms through our client registration page.

How to Order Metallic Printing

Four steps from first enquiry to delivered order, with one point of contact the whole way through.

Metallic Printing FAQs

What is metallic printing on clothing?

Metallic printing gives your design a shiny gold, silver or other metallic finish that catches the light. On clothing it is done in two main ways: screen printing with metallic ink, which has a soft shimmer, or foil printing, which gives a bright, mirror like shine.

What is the difference between metallic ink and foil printing?

Metallic ink contains fine metallic particles and is screen printed just like any other ink, leaving a soft shimmer that is very hard wearing. Foil is a thin metallic film bonded to the garment with heat and pressure, giving a much brighter, reflective finish that needs gentler washing.

What is the minimum order for metallic printing?

Metallic ink is screen printed, so it starts at 20 units per design, the same as our standard screen printing. Foil printing starts at 25 units per design.

Does metallic print wash off?

No. A correctly cured metallic ink print stays on through repeated washing, although its shine softens slightly over time. Foil is more delicate, so wash foil printed garments inside out on a cool wash, and avoid the tumble dryer and ironing over the print.

Can you print metallic on black and dark garments?

Yes. Metallic gold and silver stand out especially well on black, navy and other dark garments, which is why metallic prints are so popular for band merch, fashion ranges and evening events.

Can DTG or DTF printing give a metallic finish?

Not a true one. DTG and DTF print with standard full colour inks, which can imitate gold or silver with flat colour but cannot reproduce the shine of real metallic ink or foil. For a genuine metallic finish we use screen printing or foil.

Can I combine metallic with normal ink colours?

Yes. Many of the best metallic designs use one metallic colour as a highlight alongside standard screen printed colours, for example a gold logo with white text. Each colour, metallic or not, is printed through its own screen.

What artwork do you need for metallic printing?

Metallic ink and foil are both applied through screens, so we need vectored artwork, such as an AI, EPS or vector PDF file. Let us know which parts of the design should be metallic, or set them as a separate colour in the file.

How long does metallic printing take?

Metallic and foil prints take six to seven business days from artwork approval, and express can be arranged on request. A free visual proof is sent within 30 minutes so you can check the design first.

Final Thoughts

Metallic printing is one of the simplest ways to make clothing feel premium. Choose metallic ink for a hard wearing shimmer on garments that are worn and washed often, or foil for the brightest possible shine on fashion pieces and statement designs. Keep the artwork bold, send it as vectored artwork, and pick a smooth, good quality garment, and your metallic print will stand out.

Send us your design and we will recommend the best metallic finish for it. Email hello@1worldprint.co.uk or call us on 0208 064 1315, or see all our printing techniques.