FAHRENHEIT 266

Fahrenheit 451 is the temperature at which paper catches fire. And also the title of Ray Bradbury's famous anti-utopian novel, where people stop reading books so there's nothing stopping them from being officially destroyed. But with the paper disappears the ideas written on it. Today, 72 years after the novel was written, it seems as if the vision of the book is slowly coming true. We live in a digital world, texts are generated by AI, the meaning of things disappears in mindless entertainment, and the physical world is swallowed up by virtual pseudo-space.

In Hässlers CZ we hold the bastion. We will not give up traditional craftsmanship, in which paper, books and precise details play a major role. Where books exist to carry a thought, an idea, a message. Our products have soul and are timeless.

At Hässlers CZ, the maximum temperature the paper will encounter is around 266° Fahrenheit (130°C), which is the temperature at which the hot stamping championship takes place. This is the temperature at which our brass plates are produced, and it is the temperature at which the graphics for books, boxes or luxury packaging are precisely immortalised. The result is an unrepeatable visual, but above all, a purely physical tactile impression that gives any printed material a unique style and quality.

Come take a peek under the hood of how such, literally hot, technology works!

The alchemy of hot stamping

To realize hot stamping is sometimes literally a task worthy of an alchemist. In principle, the general recommendations of film suppliers, paper manufacturers and prescribed machine setup parameters do not work. The only thing you can really rely on is your own experience and iron patience. Embossing is always a combination of many factors, and finding their ideal intersection is a challenge. The type of material being stamped, its texture, moisture, surface, die quality, foil color, adhesive used on the foil, temperature, pressure, press time, how the foil is torn off - ugh! It's a lot! But this is what makes hot stamping one of the most interesting technologies in our production - it conjures up a unique effect.

Štoček

No embossing can be done without a die. It is actually a 3D materialization of a graphic motif so that we can imprint it on the surface of the material. What are the best plates? At Hässlers CZ, we use brass almost exclusively - thanks to precision milling, the motif is sharply cut and the brass plate retains 100% accuracy for a long time.

Foils

There's more than just gold and silver to choose from! 😊For example, we like to use Foilco foils from England, whose portfolio does not lack a single shade we have ever invented. Aside from the classic metallic designs, we love their pigment, transparent, smoke, hybrid or holographic foils.

Machine

The embossing machines, which are called "goldenrods" in the workshop, are real sweethearts. We have several of them, because they each have a slightly different purpose. They are often exactly the kind of old-school machines that can do one thing, but they do it perfectly, and modern general-purpose machines are no match for them. We have the so-called Heidelberg cylinder, a couple of tilting presses, a hand lever "Baier" from the 1950s that develops an incredible 6 tons of pressure, and then a number of tower machines capable of stamping very tall 3D objects such as box lids.

Master

But the main thing is, of course, the experienced hands of our colleagues. One day we must introduce them to you too. Setting the ideal combination of pressure, temperature and other parameters, which also depend on the material, is real alchemy. Embossing on smooth paper behaves differently than on textured cardboard, and rough canvas, for example, requires a completely different approach. And we're not talking about variation according to the type of motif or desired result - sometimes you have a filigree graphic for a subtle surface embossing reminiscent of a print, other times you're working with a deliberately simple motif that's meant to result in a deep deboss, which is a great effect for box lids or book covers, for example. But in every case, it is the touch, the haptic sensation, that allows the product to deliver a unique experience.

Traditional craft in the digital age

At Hässlers CZ we believe in physical, honest products. But that doesn't mean we shy away from digital technology or AI, no. On the contrary. But we do believe that traditional technologies are a shame to throw away. And that they have a place in the modern world - it's just important to find their balance with digital phenomena. In our opinion, the combination of the latest techniques and best practices brings the best results not only in packaging production, but also in the approach to life today.

After all, hot stamping is in many ways a great example of a technology that combines the precision handwork of traditional style with state-of-the-art processes.It just can't all reach 451° F! 😉