Imitation Gold leaf is brass and Imitation Silver leaf is aluminum that is beaten into extremely thin sheets. The thin gold/silver sheets are commonly used for gilding. Gold leaf is available in a wide variety of shades. Real gold leaf is almost pure gold. Layering gold/silver leaf over a surface is sometimes called gold/silver leafing, and is a very common form of gilding.

Imitation Gold/Silver leaf has traditionally been most popular and most common in its use as gilding material for decoration of art (including statues) or the picture frames that are often used to hold or decorate paintings, mixed media, small objects (including jewelry) and paper art. "Gold" frames made without leafing are also available for a considerably smaller price, but traditionally some form of gold or metal leaf was preferred when possible and gold leafed (or silver leafed) molding is still commonly available from many of the companies that produce commercially-available molding for use as picture frames.

Due to extremely high prices, Imitation gold/silver leaf has been used to replace the use of the real gol/silver leafing.

HANDLING & STORAGE: The item needs to be stored in a dry and not very hot place. Being basically aluminum, and imitation golf, it fears humidity. Air condition is definitely suggested. Problems that might be encountered for not proper storage is difficulty in separation between sheets, tarnishing (change in color) and staining.