Preparing a print-ready file
Bleed, safe zone, colour and resolution: the four things we check on every file.
Translation under review.
A well-prepared file prints without delay. These are the four things our team checks before production starts. If one of them is a problem, we call you.
| What we check | Expected value |
|---|---|
| Bleed | 3 mm on every side |
| Safe zone | 3 mm inside the finished size |
| Colour | CMYK |
| Image resolution | 300 dots per inch at print size |
| File | PDF, one page per side, fonts embedded |
1. Bleed
Cutting is never accurate to a tenth of a millimetre. To avoid a white sliver at the edge, any background or image that touches the edge must extend 3 mm beyond it on every side. An 85 × 55 mm card is therefore prepared at 91 × 61 mm.
2. Safe zone
Conversely, keep text and logos at least 3 mm inside the finished size. A phone number too close to the edge may be trimmed.
3. Colour
A press prints with four inks: cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK). An RGB file will be converted, and some very bright colours, blues and greens above all, will come out duller than on screen. Work in CMYK from the start.
- Black text: 100% black only, not a mix of the four inks.
- Large black areas: add 40% cyan for a deeper black.
4. Resolution and fonts
Images need 300 dots per inch at their printed size. An image copied from a website is almost always too small. Embed fonts in the PDF, or convert text to outlines.
The right file to send
A PDF, one page per side, at the finished size plus bleed. We also accept AI, PSD, JPG, PNG and TIFF. Do not password-protect the file.
If you are not sure
Send what you have. We check every file, then you receive a proof to approve. Nothing is printed without your agreement.