Choosing the right paper isn’t just about fitting your design — it’s about creating the right impression. The size and stock (thickness, weight, and finish) can completely change how your merchandise feels and how your brand is perceived.

Paper Size:

• Standard sizes (like A4, A5, DL) are cost-effective and widely compatible with displays, folders, and envelopes.
• Custom sizes can make your piece stand out but may increase printing costs.
• Always design with final trim size in mind — avoid scaling down or up later, as this can distort your layout.

Paper Stock:

• Lightweight stock (80–120gsm): Great for flyers, handouts, and internal use.
• Mid-weight stock (150–250gsm): Ideal for brochures, posters, and marketing materials with a premium feel.
• Heavy stock (300–400gsm): Perfect for business cards, covers, invitations, or anything needing durability.

Finishes to Consider:

• Matte: Smooth, modern, easy to write on.
• Gloss: Vibrant and eye-catching, especially for photos.
• Satin/Silk: Balanced option with a subtle sheen.
• Recycled/Uncoated: Eco-friendly, natural look and feel.

💡 Pro tip: Always match your paper choice with the purpose of the product. A heavy, glossy stock might look luxurious for a product catalogue, but a matte recycled stock may better reflect an eco-conscious brand.

Not all file types are created equal — the format you supply has a big impact on how sharp your final print looks.

• Logos, icons, and graphics: Always use vector files (AI, EPS, PDF, or SVG). Vectors are resolution-independent, meaning they can be scaled up or down without losing quality. Perfect for clean lines, solid shapes, and text-based designs.
• Photos or detailed artwork: Use high-quality raster files such as PNG or JPEG. These capture fine detail and color variation that vectors can’t. Be sure your images are at least 300dpi at the size you want them printed to avoid pixelation.

💡 Pro tip: If you’re unsure which format is best, send us the highest-quality version you have — we’ll let you know if adjustments are needed.

When preparing artwork for print, always expand or convert your text into outlines (curves). This turns your text into a graphic shape, ensuring it prints exactly as you designed it — even if we don’t have the font you used.

Why it matters:

• Prevents font substitutions that can change the look of your design.
• Ensures spacing, alignment, and styling stay consistent.
• Guarantees sharp, professional-looking text at any size.

How to do it:

• In Adobe Illustrator: Select text → Right-click → Create Outlines.
• In CorelDRAW: Select text → Convert to Curves.
• In Canva or similar tools: Export as PDF print-ready (check “flatten text” or “embed fonts” if outlines aren’t available).

💡 Pro tip: Keep an editable version of your design with live text saved separately. Once text is outlined, it can’t be typed over or changed.

To achieve sharp, professional results, we print at a minimum of 300dpi (dots per inch). Always supply your artwork at 300dpi or higher and set to the exact dimensions you’d like it printed.

Why resolution matters:

• On screen vs. in print: Images that look fine on your monitor may not hold up when enlarged in print. A blurry or pixelated design is usually the result of low-resolution files.
• Scaling up doesn’t work: Increasing the size of a low-resolution image won’t improve its quality — it will just make the pixels bigger and the image softer.

Tips to get it right:

• Export your artwork from the original design file, rather than saving from a screenshot or web image.
• Double-check image resolution before sending — especially for photos or detailed artwork.
• For large-format products (like banners), some designs can be prepared at a lower dpi if viewed from a distance, but 300dpi remains the safest standard for most products.

💡 Pro tip: If in doubt, zoom in on your file at 100% size. If it looks sharp on screen at full scale, it’s likely to print well.

When sending us your design files, make sure all placed images and graphics remain properly linked. This allows us to locate the original files and ensures nothing goes missing during the printing process.

Why it matters:

• If links are missing, images may not appear in the final file — or they may default to low-resolution previews.
• Linked files keep your design crisp and accurate, especially for detailed graphics or large images.

How to check:

• In Adobe Illustrator or InDesign, use the Links panel to verify that all images are linked and up to date.
• Avoid embedding low-quality previews — always keep the original high-resolution files in the same folder as your artwork.
• When packaging a file for print, include all linked images and fonts so nothing gets left behind.

💡 Pro tip: Use your design program’s “Package” or “Collect for Output” feature. This automatically gathers your artwork, fonts, and linked files into one folder, making it easy to send everything we need in one go.

To get a clean, edge-to-edge finish, always include at least 3mm of bleed on all sides of your artwork. Bleed is the extra space beyond your design’s trim line, and it ensures there are no unwanted white edges if the cut is slightly off.

Why bleed matters:

• Printing and trimming can shift by a fraction of a millimetre — bleed gives us a safety margin.
• Without bleed, even a tiny misalignment can leave thin white borders around your design.

How to set it up:

• Extend your background colours, images, or design elements 3mm past the trim line.
• Keep important text, logos, and graphics at least 5mm inside the trim area (the “safe zone”).
• Avoid adding crop marks, registration marks, or colour bars — our system applies these automatically.

💡 Pro tip: Most design programs let you set the bleed when creating your document (e.g. Illustrator, InDesign). Always export with bleed included in the PDF settings.