Being an
all-digital print shop means that you can save time and money by
providing us with the correct artwork for your labels, produced
according to the specifications described below. Please note
that it makes good sense to check your designs (and spelling) before
sending them to us - corrections or modifications made after the
proofing stage will incur extra charges, as we need to repeat the
entire pre-press process to incorporate the new files.
Software Supported (Mac and PC versions)
-
Adobe
Photoshop - versions up to and including CS3
-
Adobe Illustrator -versions up
to and including CS3
-
Corel Draw - versions up to
and including X3 (13)
While we can usually work with native files in any of
the formats above, our preferred format is an Adobe Illustrator EPS
file with all fonts converted to outlines.
Note - if you're creating multiple designs, please send each
design (or version) individually in its own file to optimize the
pre-press process and avoid manipulation errors.
Media
The easiest way to
send us files is via email to
. We can receive email attachments up to about 10 Megabytes, but
keep in mind that your outbound email server may have smaller
limits. If you're sending many files and/or email proves to be
unreliable, you can also upload files to our secure FTP site –
please contact us for details. If none of these options are
workable for you, please burn a CD-ROM and send it to us.
Full Bleeds and layout requirements
A full bleed is when the
color “bleeds” off the label. If your label design or background
color is intended to cover the entire surface of the label, please
note that we need a 1/16" (0.0625") bleed around each edge of the
label. For example, if you have a 2” x 1” label where the color
bleeds off the edges, you should size your design to 2.125" x 1.125"
as this ensures a 1/16” bleed around the entire label.
It's also wise to
leave at least 1/16" (0.0625") of clear space (i.e. no significant
design elements or text) inside the die-line to allow for slight
shifts during die-cutting.
Other Considerations
Being an all-digital
label printer, image mode and resolution are extremely important to
ensure correct color and clarity. All raster (image-based) files
need to have a resolution of 300 d.p.i. at actual size. Our presses
handle CMYK mode only - all RGB images will be converted, which can
cause extreme shifts in color. If in doubt, please take advantage
of our free "press proof" offer, which allows you to see how the
finished labels will look before going into production. See
here for a more detailed explanation of
this process.
