in a method of making plastic articles with embossed pattern , a plastic material is injection - molded in a cavity of a clamping unit of an injection molding machine to form an injection - molded plastic article . a pattern is embossed from a foil strip onto a previously injection - molded plastic article to form a finished plastic product with embossed pattern , whereby the embossing step is decoupled from the injection molding step and carried out separately from a clamping step of the clamping unit .