Artwork
Artwork guidelines for packaging print
Meeting these requirements means your file passes prepress first time rather than returning with queries.
Work on the supplied dieline
We send a dieline template sized to your product once dimensions are confirmed. Place it on a locked layer and build artwork beneath it. Never redraw it from measurements — small discrepancies produce misregistered folds that only appear after the run.
Set the dieline to a named non-printing spot colour so it is excluded from output.
How the dieline is produced and what the layers mean is covered in the dieline and artwork guide.
Bleed, safety and folds
Folding cartons need 3 mm bleed past every trim edge; rigid box wraps need 15 mm because the paper turns in around the board. Hold text and logos at least 4 mm inside trim and fold lines.
Nothing important should cross a fold. Barcodes must sit on a flat panel, never across a crease or a curve.
Bleed allowances differ by construction, which the box style guide sets out per format.
Colour, images and fonts
Documents in CMYK, spot colours as named swatches used consistently, unused swatches deleted. Rich black build on large solids, 100% K on small text.
Raster images at 300 dpi at placed size, not original size. Fonts outlined or fully embedded. Positive text above 6pt, reversed text above 8pt.
Export
PDF/X-4 or PDF/X-1a, bleed included, trim marks outside the bleed area, dieline layer excluded. Total ink coverage within roughly 300%.
Name files with product, size and version. Tell us in the covering email what is critical — an exact brand colour, a legally required panel, a fixed logo size.
The full export checklist, including ink limits and file naming, is on the packaging file requirements page.
Prepress
Send artwork for a prepress check
We check bleed, safe area, crease clearance and colour setup against the production dieline before any proof is issued. There is no charge for the check.
No obligation
Request a quote
Send us the product details and quantity. We reply with a specification and a written price, usually within one business day.
Answers
Questions about preparing packaging artwork
What file format should I send?
Print-ready PDF, preferably PDF/X-4. Native AI or EPS files are also accepted with linked assets embedded.
How much bleed do I need?
3 mm for folding cartons and most flat formats, 15 mm for rigid box wraps, 2 to 3 mm for labels. Extend the actual artwork rather than adding a block behind it.
Do I need to outline fonts?
Yes, or embed them fully. Outlining removes any dependency on font availability or licensing at the production end.
What resolution do images need?
300 dpi at the size they appear on the finished pack. Scaling up in the layout reduces effective resolution proportionally.
Can I send an RGB file?
We would rather you converted to CMYK yourself. Automatic conversion at press produces colour shifts nobody intended.
Where should the barcode go?
On a flat panel, at or above 80% nominal size, dark on light with a clear quiet zone. Never across a fold or a curved surface.
What if I do not have a dieline?
We supply one once your dimensions are confirmed. Do not design on a guessed rectangle — it almost always places something across a crease or under a glue lap.
Will you check my file before printing?
Yes. Our prepress team reviews bleed, resolution, embedded fonts, colour build and cut lines before anything goes to plate.
What is the minimum text size?
6pt for positive text and 8pt for reversed-out text. Below that, ink spread fills in letterforms, particularly on uncoated stock.
How do I supply spot colours?
As named spot swatches used consistently throughout. Delete unused swatches, since two similarly named swatches separate as two plates.
Next step
Tell us what you are packing
Send the product dimensions and the quantity you need. We come back with a specification, a lead time and a written price.