Debossing is the reverse of embossing. An image such as a logo, a title, or other design is heat-pressed into the surface of the paper with a heated die, creating depressions rather than raised impressions as in embossing.

There are different debossing techniques. A blind deboss is used with screen-printing or foil stamping. In screen processing the art or design is first printed onto the material and then the outline of the print is debossed using a die exactly registered to the silk screen print. In foil stamping, the foil is transferred to the material using a special die and then the same die is used to deboss the area