Metallic Foil vs Metal Leaf

On the surface, metallic foil and metal leaf serve the same purpose: to add a metallic effect to your projects. However each material has strengths and weaknesses so there may be some uses that are more appropriate for one over the other. An informed decision will lead to a successful project, so I'll discuss each material in depth below.

Metallic Foil

Pros:

• Extremely durable 
• Can be washed by hand or machine
• Can even be dry cleaned
• Wide range of colors and visual textures available
• Simple to use 
• Easy to sew through

Cons:

• Slightly plasticy-looking
• More artificial and less genuinely metallic in appearance

Methods of application:

• Foil glue
• Gel medium
• Any fusible product - fusible web, fusible powder, fusible thread, et al

Care of applied foil:

• Machine or hand washable
• Dry cleanable
• Avoid severe abrasion
• Do not iron directly on foil

Suggested uses:

• Art garments
• Bags and totes
• Functional quilts
• Decorative quilts
• Fiber art

Metal Leaf

Pros:

• Authentically metallic appearance
• Lovely organic quality to application (imperfectly perfect)
• Fairly simple to use 
• Easy to sew through

Cons:

• Delicate and more fragile during application and after
• Can not be washed by machine or dry cleaned
• Copper and gold leaf will get a patina over time, silver will not patina

Methods of application:

• Gel medium is most highly recommended on fabric

Care of applied foil:

• Spot clean by hand only
• Avoid any abrasion
• Apply a watered-down coat of gel medium to copper or gold leaf to prevent oxidation

Suggested uses:

• Fiber art

I hope this helps you make a decision between metallic foil and metal leaf the next time your project needs a metallic effect. If you have any questions that I haven't answered, please ask them in the comments.

If you would like to win a set of 4 metallic foil colors, there will be a drawing from among all of the commenters on my posts this May on Friday, June 3. Please make sure there is a way to contact you in your comment!

~Jane Davila