To guarantee your printed boxes, packaging, and catalogs match your design vision perfectly, follow our technical artwork specifications. Properly prepared files speed up production and avoid delays.
Bleed Margin
Extend backgrounds past the cut border to ensure no white edges show.
Color Space
Always design in CMYK. RGB files convert with visible color shifts.
Resolution
Low resolution images will look pixelated. Do not grab logos from sites.
Text
Convert text to curves to prevent missing font errors on our machines.
Always include a 3mm bleed margin on all outer edges of your artwork. Crucial text and graphics must stay in the safety zone (3mm inside the cut line) to avoid being clipped during trimming.
Requirements:
All artwork files must be designed in CMYK color space. RGB files are meant for digital displays and will shift colors dramatically when converted to ink-on-paper values.
Requirements:
Ensure all raster images, logos, and photos have a minimum resolution of 300 DPI at 100% placement size. Lower resolution results in blurry, pixelated final prints.
Requirements:
Convert all fonts to outlines (curves/vectors) in vector applications, or package and send all font files. This prevents text substitution and formatting shifts on our press servers.
Requirements:
We accept files from all professional design applications.
| Format | Description & Preparation Notes | Preference |
|---|---|---|
| Preferred format. High-resolution PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4 with embedded fonts and crop marks. | recommended | |
| AI | Adobe Illustrator CC or lower. Convert all text to outlines and embed linked images. | accepted |
| PSD | Adobe Photoshop. Keep layers intact if edits are needed, or flatten at 300 DPI. | accepted |
| CDR | CorelDraw files. Save as curves and export as high-quality PDF if possible. | accepted |
Do not set thin fonts or small body text (under 12pt) to rich black (C:60, M:40, Y:40, K:100). Any slight press shifting will cause color ghosting. Instead, set body text to 100% Black (K:100).
Vector strokes can scale incorrectly if "Scale Strokes & Effects" is toggled off in Illustrator. Outline all vector borders and strokes before finalizing files to keep proportions.
Create an account or log into our Client Portal to upload your pre-flighted artwork directly with your quote request, or request an instant layout check with a production consultant.
