Before you send, in one minute
The right size
The file is the size it will be printed, or to a scale you've told us.
3 mm of bleed
Any background that runs to the edge extends 3 mm past it on every side.
Text away from the edge
Text and logos sit at least 3 mm inside the edge.
Sharp images
Photos are 300 dpi at print size - banners can make do with less.
Fonts
Fonts are embedded in the PDF or converted to outlines.
The original logo
The logo comes from your designer's original file (PDF, AI, EPS or SVG), not a screenshot.
Key print-preparation terms
- Trim size
- The exact size of the finished product after cutting, for example 90 × 50 mm for a business card.
- Bleed
- Background extended 3 mm past the trim on every side. It's cut off after printing, so colour runs right to the edge.
- Safe zone
- The area at least 3 mm inside the trim where text and logos stay, so cutting doesn't catch them.
- Resolution (dpi)
- Image dots per inch at print size. Close-up print needs 300 dpi, banners 100-150 dpi.
- CMYK
- The four process inks: cyan, magenta, yellow and black. Print mixes these, so a print file ideally uses CMYK.
- RGB
- Screen colours (red, green, blue). Some bright RGB colours can't be printed, so after conversion to CMYK they look duller.
- Pantone (spot colour)
- An exact colour from the Pantone guide, e.g. PANTONE 485 C. Given when a brand colour must match on every item.
- Vector
- Graphics made of lines and shapes (PDF, AI, EPS, SVG). Scales up without losing quality - ideal for logos.
- Raster (pixels)
- An image made of pixels (JPG, PNG, TIFF). It stays sharp only up to a certain size.
- Outlined fonts
- Text turned into shapes, so it doesn't depend on us having the same font. The alternative is a PDF with embedded fonts.
- Scale
- A file smaller than actual size in an exact ratio, e.g. 1:10 for an 85 × 200 cm roll-up (an 85 × 200 mm file).
- Mockup
- A picture of how the product will look - nice for a presentation, but not a print file. For print, send the flat design at real size.
The basics
Size and scale
Set the file up at the exact finished size. Banners and roll-up graphics can be to scale (e.g. 1:10) - just tell us which.
Bleed
Extend anything that runs to the edge - a background, photo or stripe - 3 mm past the format on every side. A 90 × 50 mm business card becomes a 96 × 56 mm file. The extra is cut off, so colour reaches right to the edge with no white margin.
Safe zone
Keep text, logos and anything important at least 3 mm inside the format. Cutting has a small tolerance, so things right at the edge can get clipped.
Resolution
Anything seen up close (business cards, flyers, a logo on an item) needs 300 dpi at print size - for a 90 mm width that's at least 1063 pixels. Banners and roll-ups are seen from a distance, so 100-150 dpi at actual size is enough. Enlarging a small image in software doesn't add sharpness.
CMYK and RGB
Print works in CMYK, screens in RGB. We convert RGB files to CMYK, and bright blues, greens and oranges can then look a little duller than on screen. For sublimation an RGB file is fine.
Brand colours
If your brand has exact colours, give the Pantone codes in your inquiry or send the brand guidelines.
Fonts
Fonts in a PDF should be embedded, or converted to outlines (Create Outlines in Illustrator, Convert to Curves in CorelDRAW). Otherwise another font shows up in place of yours.
Vector or image
A vector logo (PDF, AI, EPS, SVG) is made of lines and scales up without losing quality. A logo as an image (JPG, PNG) only goes so big. For engraving and embroidery a vector is the best choice.
Which file to send
PDF is the safest. You can also send AI, EPS, SVG or an image (JPG, PNG, TIFF). From CorelDRAW, Word or PowerPoint, export a PDF.
Sizes and settings by product
A quick overview for the most common products. For the exact print size on a promotional item, see its product page.
| Product | File size | Bleed | Resolution | Colour | File |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business card 90 × 50 mm | 96 × 56 mm | 3 mm | 300 dpi | CMYK | |
| Flyer A6, A5, A4 | trim + 6 mm (e.g. A5: 154 × 216 mm) | 3 mm | 300 dpi | CMYK | |
| Stickers | trim + 6 mm | 3 mm | 300 dpi | CMYK | |
| Roll-up 85 / 100 / 120 × 200 cm | actual size or 1:10 | depends on the stand - ask | 100-150 dpi at actual size | CMYK | |
| Banner, tarpaulin, vinyl | actual size or to scale | depends on material - ask | 100-150 dpi at actual size | CMYK | |
| Logo - UV printing | print size | - | vector or 300 dpi | full colour, Pantone | PDF, AI, EPS, SVG |
| Logo - laser engraving | engraving size | - | vector | one colour | PDF, AI, EPS, SVG |
| Logo - embroidery | embroidery size | - | vector | thread colours | PDF, AI, EPS, SVG |
| Mug, shirt - sublimation | design size | - | 300 dpi | RGB is fine | PDF, PNG, JPG |
Preparation by print technique
Each technique needs something different: paper print needs bleed, engraving a one-colour vector, embroidery a logo without gradients.
Cards and flyers
Business cards, flyers, stickers and certificates: a PDF at the real size, with 3 mm bleed.
Send
- A PDF at the finished size, with 3 mm bleed on every side
- Text and logos at least 3 mm from the edge
- Photos at 300 dpi at print size
- Fonts embedded or converted to outlines
- For double-sided print: both sides in one PDF, front first
Avoid
- Screenshots and images from websites - they look blurry on paper
- A thin border right at the edge - after cutting it won't be even all round
- A Word file that hasn't been exported to PDF
Check a file for this technique More about this technique: Digital Printing
Banners and roll-ups
Banners, tarpaulins, roll-ups and vinyl: actual size or to scale - the print is seen from a distance.
Send
- A file at actual size or to scale (e.g. 1:10) - tell us which
- Images at 100-150 dpi at actual size
- Logos and text from your designer's original file
- For roll-ups: logos and key text away from the bottom edge - that part sits inside the stand's cassette
- For a roll-up you already have: the graphic size or stand model
Avoid
- A small image from a phone or website - it's blurry once enlarged
- Small text - a banner is read from several metres away
Check a file for this technique More about this technique: Large-Format Printing
UV printing
A full-colour logo on hard items: the original logo file and your brand colours.
Send
- The original logo file (PDF, AI, EPS or SVG)
- Gradients, shadows and photos - UV printing is full colour
- Your brand colours or brand guidelines
- A logo checked at actual print size - the recommended size is on each product page
Avoid
- Very thin lines and tiny text on small items
- A logo on a white background as a JPG - send a PNG with a transparent background, or a vector
Check a file for this technique More about this technique: UV Printing
Laser engraving
A one-colour vector logo: the laser doesn't add colour, it changes the surface itself.
Send
- A vector logo (PDF, AI, EPS or SVG) in one colour
- Solid areas and clean lines
- Text converted to outlines
- No vector? The best image you have - we'll check whether it works
Avoid
- Gradients, shadows and photos - engraving is always one colour
- Expecting brand colours - the material decides the engraving's colour
Check a file for this technique More about this technique: Laser Engraving
Embroidery
The logo is turned into a program for the embroidery machine: solid colours, no tiny details.
Send
- The original logo file (PDF, AI, EPS or SVG)
- Your brand colours - embroidery uses thread colours
- The position: left chest, back, cap front or sleeve
Avoid
- Gradients, shadows and photos - they get simplified to solid colours
- Very small text - it's hard to embroider
- Large, dense embroidery on a thin T-shirt - it puckers the fabric
Check a file for this technique More about this technique: Computer Embroidery
Sublimation
Full colour on white and light polyester or coated items - mugs, shirts, mouse pads.
Send
- Photos and colourful designs - they come out true
- An RGB file - no need to convert it to CMYK
- Images at 300 dpi at the design's size
- For mugs: the design can wrap all the way round - ask us for the size
Avoid
- Dark items and cotton - the ink doesn't show or doesn't bond
- White lettering in the design - white isn't printed, it's the item's own colour
Check a file for this technique More about this technique: Sublimation Printing
How to save a print PDF from your software
Menu names vary a little between versions, but the steps are the same: set the bleed, include the fonts and save a print PDF.
Adobe Illustrator
- File → Document Setup: Bleed 3 mm on all four sides.
- Stretch the background to the red bleed line.
- File → Save As → Adobe PDF, preset [High Quality Print] or [PDF/X-4].
- Marks and Bleeds: turn on Use Document Bleed Settings.
CorelDRAW
- Layout → Page Setup: Bleed 3 mm and turn on Show bleed area.
- Select text and convert it to curves: Object → Convert to Curves (Ctrl+Q).
- File → Publish to PDF, preset PDF for Prepress.
- In Settings → Prepress set Bleed limit 3 mm, and in Color output CMYK.
Adobe InDesign
- When creating the document: Bleed and Slug 3 mm.
- File → Export → Adobe PDF (Print), preset [PDF/X-4] or [High Quality Print].
- Marks and Bleeds: Use Document Bleed Settings. Fonts are embedded automatically.
Adobe Photoshop
- Create a canvas of trim + 6 mm at 300 ppi (business card: 96 × 56 mm).
- Image → Mode → CMYK Color, if the file is going on paper.
- Keep text and logos at least 6 mm from the canvas edge.
- Save as Photoshop PDF or TIFF.
Canva
- File → Settings → Show print bleed, then stretch the background to the outer edge.
- Share → Download → PDF Print.
- Tick Crop marks and bleed, and on Canva Pro pick CMYK too.
Microsoft Word
- Layout → Size: set the exact product size.
- File → Save As → PDF, and in Options turn on PDF/A - that embeds the fonts.
- Word can't add bleed: if a background runs to the edge, let us know.
The most common print-preparation mistakes
No bleed
The background stops exactly at the trim, so a thin white edge is left after cutting. Extend it 3 mm past the edge.
Text right at the edge
Cutting has a small tolerance, so letters at the edge can be clipped. Keep them at least 3 mm inside.
A thin frame around the edge
Even a small cutting shift shows as a frame of uneven width. Avoid it or make it wider.
Small black text in four colours
Black built from all four inks (e.g. 100/100/100/100) looks blurry on small text. Use black only: C0 M0 Y0 K100.
A website image or screenshot
It has few pixels, so it's blurry on paper. Ask for the original photo or logo from your designer.
Fonts that aren't embedded
If we don't have your font, the text appears in a different typeface. Embed fonts in the PDF or convert them to outlines.
A mockup instead of a print file
A picture of a mug or shirt with the logo isn't a print file. Send the flat design at real size.
A logo from Word or an email signature
It's usually shrunk to a few hundred pixels. Ask the designer or agency for the original file.
A photo from Viber or WhatsApp
These apps shrink the photo. Send the original from your phone, and export iPhone HEIC as JPG.
Check your file before sending
A free in-browser check shows the size, bleed, resolution, colours and fonts in seconds - the file isn't sent anywhere. PDF templates with the bleed and safe zone marked are there too.
Open the file checker
