For years, Hazen Paper’s holographic calendars have become an annual highlight for designers, collectors, printers, and brand owners. Every calendar showcases Hazen’s brilliant work in pushing the boundaries of optical effects.
These calendars are more than just date-keepers; they function as a working laboratory for the latest in holographic origination, embossing, coating, and printing. Over the years, Hazen has incorporated techniques ranging from multi-angle imagery and colour-motion effects to multi-channel holography – often produced on its proprietary Envirofoil® substrate, designed for recyclability.
While Hazen’s calendars have become collector’s items, they are part of a broader trend of using promotional formats to showcase high-end holography. Producers such as KURZ, K Laser and Uflex have also released special editions for events or client engagement, often experimenting with diffractive micro-optics or hybrid hologram–print designs.
Since its first calendar in 2004, titled ‘Life can be more exciting on paper’, Hazen has introduced a series of diverse themes over the years. For example, its 2020 ‘Dragon Fire’ edition combined grey-motion effects for the sky, colour- motion for the dragon, and multiple- channel lenses to animate flames.
In 2024, the ‘Lion Heart’ edition utilised deep-groove Fresnel images produced on the company’s in-house mastering system.
This year, as Hazen celebrates its 100th anniversary, the company has raised the bar once again with what it proudly calls the best Hazen holographic calendar yet – the Hazen 100 TIME TRAVELER™. This centennial edition shows Hazen’s ongoing evolution, blending polymer science, optical physics, transfer metallisation, and source reduction into one sustainable and visually striking piece of art.
Produced entirely at Hazen’s campus in Holyoke, MA, the TIME TRAVELER embodies the company’s unique vertical integration. The centrepiece is a large-format, bespoke hologram created by transferring Hazen’s Envirofoil to premium paper cover stock. This innovation allows the piece to be as recyclable as paper, thanks to a holographic layer only one micron deep. Once laminated, the calendars are printed using UV Litho or digital processes, delivering crisp detail and vibrant imagery.
Beyond its technical innovation, the calendar represents Hazen’s reflection on a century of print and holography, as well as its commitment to continue making it easier for brand owners to utilise the magic of holography without compromising environmental goals.
All of us at Holography & Optical Technology News®, along with our readers, extend our heartfelt congratulations to Hazen Paper on its centennial anniversary.
Here’s to many more years of innovation, creativity, and holographic brilliance!
