Do you often take notes? I’m the type who prefers taking notes by hand, and something I can’t do without in those moments is sticky notes.

Since sticky notes were introduced to Japan from the United States in 1981, they have become a staple stationery item used in study and work, and they are also frequently adopted as novelty items.

Bright colors like yellow and blue are common, and for novelties, it is typical to use white paper due to the need for printing.

Therefore, I came up with a unique and eye-catching sticky note unlike any other.That is a sticky note that shines in gold, achieved through foil stamping.

Intricate patterns such as text and illustrations are beautifully highlighted by the foil stamping’s sheen, transforming an ordinary note-taking tool into a luxurious item.

Sticky note material

For the production of these foil-stamped sticky notes, we used the standard white sticky note paper.
The basis weight is 70 kg in terms of the shiroku-ban standard, similar to copy paper in thickness, but it has higher density and smoothness.

Therefore, it stands out as whiter than the high-quality paper typically used for notepads, and when full-color printing is applied, it achieves a vibrant and premium finish.

When using other paper colors, the base color of the paper can affect the printed colors. Therefore, we recommend using white paper when printing characters, company logos, or similar designs.

Foil-stamped design

Since it was our first time applying foil stamping to sticky notes, we created designs based on the following themes to evaluate how well intricate details could be reproduced through foil stamping.

Line thickness

Text size

Logo

Character

Solid areas (large foil-stamped surfaces)

Evaluation of design reproducibility

The finished sticky notes, contrary to expectations, beautifully reproduced even the small text and illustrations, which were thought to be difficult to replicate, far exceeding our imagination.

Especially in logo designs, the foil stamping beautifully reproduces small text and delicate lines, and the shimmering logo reflecting light enhances the sense of luxury.

In character designs, the bold contour lines stand out, making the character appear more striking than with regular printing.

On the other hand, it was found that slight processing marks may remain in certain areas of the solid parts.

Additionally, when using the sticky notes for their primary purpose of taking notes, the foil may repel pen ink, which poses a critical issue considering their intended use.

The glittering, radiant look is very appealing, but considering quality and practicality, solid areas seem challenging to use effectively.

Text as small as 5–6 pt and lines as thin as 1 pt (approximately 0.35 mm wide) were reproduced beautifully, but smaller text or thinner lines were difficult to replicate and may appear blurred.

However, when it comes to text, even smaller characters may be reproducible depending on their font type and thickness.

As proof, the small text used in the logo was beautifully reproduced.

Customizability

The foil-stamped sticky notes produced this time are 75x75mm in size, but the size and design of the sticky notes can be freely customized.

In addition, by combining standard printing with foil stamping, it is possible to create luxurious designs that feature full-color illustrations alongside foil accents.

They can also be produced with the same specifications as regular sticky notes, such as being packaged in a pouch or having a cover.Therefore, beyond foil stamping on sticky notes, you can create even more impactful sticky notes depending on your ideas.

Foil stamping may crack or peel due to pressure and other factors during the processing.Additionally, foil stamping poses the risk of causing machine malfunctions, so designs for foil stamping must be positioned at least 5mm inside the final trim area.

Cost of foil-stamped sticky notes

As you might imagine from their striking appearance, the production cost is quite high.
Foil-stamped sticky notes are designed specifically for ‘on-demand printing,’ but initial costs such as plate-making fees are required, making the unit cost higher for smaller production runs.

Foil-stamped sticky notes require more complex processes and higher technical expertise than those with standard printing alone. Depending on the production lot, the cost can range from 2 to 5 times or more than the usual price. Even for a basic sticky note without a cover, the minimum cost starts at around 100,000 yen. The production cost of foil-stamped sticky notes varies depending on the specifications, so we will calculate it each time based on your requirements.