Transfer Film — Full-Coverage Metallized & Holographic Effects for Packaging

Transfer film applies a decorative metallic or holographic layer across the entire surface of a printed sheet or paperboard carton, rather than a selective pattern. A PET carrier film, pre-coated with the effect layer, is laminated onto the substrate under heat and pressure; once the effect layer has bonded, the carrier is peeled away, leaving a full-coverage mirror, holographic or transparent-holographic finish behind. Lihyang Foil Technology has manufactured proprietary metallic and holographic film formulations since 1980, exporting to 60+ countries, giving packaging converters a reliable full-coverage alternative to selective foiling techniques.

What is transfer film?

Transfer film belongs to the same carrier-and-release family of materials as hot stamping foil and cold foil, but it is built for edge-to-edge coverage rather than a selective printed or die-cut pattern. The pre-coated effect layer — metallized, holographic, or both — is laminated onto the full sheet or carton blank, and once the bond has set, the PET carrier film is stripped away, leaving only the thin decorative layer fused to the substrate. Because the whole surface is coated in a single pass, transfer film is well suited to designs that call for a solid mirror or holographic background rather than isolated logos or patterns.

See how this compares to selective techniques in the table below, or explore our cold foil and hot stamping foil hub pages.

Effect variants

Lihyang's transfer film range covers three core effects, each suited to a different visual and functional goal:

Mirror / Metallized Silver

A vacuum-metallized aluminum layer delivers a solid, true mirror-silver finish across the entire surface. This is the most straightforward full-coverage effect, giving cartons and boxes a bright, uniform metallic look without any selective patterning — commonly chosen when the brief calls for an all-over premium metallic background rather than accent details.

Holographic Silver

Building on the same metallized silver base, a laser-etched holographic microstructure is added, diffracting light into shifting rainbow patterns as the pack is tilted or moves under store lighting. The full-surface holographic effect creates strong shelf standout and is frequently layered with print to build a multi-level anti-counterfeit background that is difficult to replicate.

Transparent Holographic

This variant uses the same holographic diffraction structure but omits the metallized silver base, so the printed artwork or substrate color underneath remains fully visible through the film. It is typically laminated over an already-printed sheet, adding a holographic sparkle as an overt security feature or design accent while preserving the original brand colors beneath it.

Film Structure

Transfer film is built as a compact four-layer laminate on a roll: a PET carrier film supports a release coating and the decorative effect layer, finished with a heat-activated adhesive on the contact side. Heat and pressure bond the adhesive — and everything layered above it — to the substrate; the release coating then lets the PET carrier lift cleanly away, leaving only the effect layer fused to the paperboard.

How Transfer Film Is Applied

In production, the pre-coated roll unwinds into a heated nip where the adhesive bonds the effect layer to the printed paperboard. As the laminate cools, the PET carrier peels cleanly away — release layer intact — leaving only the effect layer fused edge-to-edge on the substrate. The animation below plays on a slow, continuous loop; if your system has reduced motion enabled, it displays as a single static frame.

Transfer Film vs Cold Foil vs Hot Stamping Foil

Transfer film, cold foil and hot stamping foil all transfer a thin effect layer from a carrier film, but they differ in coverage area and how they fit into the production line:

For a deeper look at selective foiling, see Hot Foil vs Cold Foil: Complete Guide 2026. Transfer film effects can also be applied on top of hot-stamped or cold-foiled areas for layered, harder-to-copy security designs.

Applications

Because it covers the full surface rather than a selective pattern, transfer film is chosen when a brand wants a consistent, all-over metallic or holographic background — not just accents — or when a security feature needs to run edge-to-edge across a carton so it cannot simply be cut around. These four sectors account for most of Lihyang's transfer film volume:

Technical specifications

Exact thickness, width, core size and certification vary by effect variant and order specification. Please contact our team with your application details for a full technical data sheet.

Why Lihyang

Choosing Lihyang Foil Technology for transfer film means working with a manufacturer that has developed metallic and holographic formulations in-house since 1980. Our mirror, holographic and transparent holographic variants share the same quality control and process consulting we apply across our full hot stamping foil, cold foil and holographic foil ranges, so packaging converters can move between full-coverage and selective effects with a single, consistent supplier.

Because transfer film, cold foil and hot stamping foil are all manufactured under one roof, our technical team can advise on which technique — or combination of techniques — best fits a given substrate, press line and design brief, rather than steering every inquiry toward a single product line.

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Author: Lihyang Foil Technology · Established 1980, foil and film supplier to 60+ countries
Last updated: 2026-07-09