Specification
Artwork Guidelines
This is the specification sheet. Hand it to whoever is producing your artwork and most of the back-and-forth disappears.
It covers what to send, how to set it up, and the checks we run when it arrives. It does not cover how to design for a mailer — that is a different problem, and it is dealt with on the printing and artwork guide.
Turn this into a specification
Tell us what you ship and we will apply everything on this page to your order, in writing.
File requirements
Send a file that meets all of these and it goes straight to proof.
| Option | Choices | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Preferred formats |
| Vector artwork scales to any size on the bag without losing an edge. |
| Accepted raster formats |
| Usable for photographic elements; not ideal for logos or type. |
| Raster resolution |
| Resolution at final printed size, not at the size the file happens to be. |
| Colour mode |
| RGB files have to be converted, and the conversion is where colour surprises come from. |
| Bleed |
| Film moves fractionally on press; without bleed part of the run gets a white sliver. |
| Fonts |
| Live fonts substitute silently if we do not hold the exact same version. |
| Minimum line weight |
| Anything finer closes up, and it closes up more on textured film. |
| Layers |
| A flattened preview tells us what you intended if a layer misbehaves. |
Options shown are the choices we can quote against. The exact specification for your order — including film weight, closure and print method — is confirmed in writing on your quotation.
Layout rules specific to a mailer
These are the ones that catch designers who have only produced print for paper.
Keep clear of the flap
The top band folds over and is sealed. Anything placed there is invisible on a packed parcel.
Keep clear of the side welds
The edges are sealed and pinched. Artwork running into them distorts.
Design a label zone
Decide where the shipping label goes and leave that area clear. Without one, the label lands on your artwork on a large share of parcels.
Design for the packed shape
A composition that fills a flat template stretches once there is something inside. Centred marks with breathing room survive; edge-to-edge compositions do not.
Check contrast against the base
A dark mark cannot go on a dark film. Settle the base colour before the artwork, not after.
What happens when your file arrives
Five checks, and we come back to you rather than guessing if any of them fails.
Technical check
Format, resolution at final size, colour mode, bleed, outlined fonts, minimum line weights.
Layout check against the format
Flap clearance, weld clearance, label zone, and how the design behaves on the surface you have chosen.
Contrast check against the base
Every element assessed against the film colour and finish you have selected.
Proof produced
Placement, scale and colour shown on your chosen specification, returned to you for approval.
Written approval, then scheduling
Production is booked against the approved proof. Changes after this point mean a new proof.
Rights and permissions
Before you send artwork, confirm you hold the commercial reproduction rights to everything in it. Stock illustration bought on a personal licence, an image found online and a design a freelancer was paid to produce are three different legal positions, and only one of them is safe to print at volume. Fonts carry licences too, and some restrict use in a logo or in packaging. Where a design incorporates a pattern rather than a mark, the additional considerations are covered on the patterned mailer page.
Questions about artwork guidelines
What file format should I supply for poly mailer printing?
Vector — AI, EPS, PDF or SVG — with fonts outlined. Raster formats work for photographic elements at 300 ppi at final printed size, but they are not the right choice for a logo or for type.
How much bleed do you need?
At least 3 mm on any edge the artwork is intended to run to. Film shifts fractionally during production, and without bleed some of the run comes out with an uneven white edge on one side.
Do I need to convert my artwork to CMYK?
It helps. RGB files have to be converted before printing, and the conversion is where unexpected colour shifts come from. Supplying CMYK or a named spot colour means you have seen the conversion rather than us making it for you.
What if my logo has very fine lines?
Tell us before the run. Fine lines close up on flexible film in a way they never do on paper, and they close up further on a cushioned surface. Usually a slightly heavier weight of the same mark solves it, and we will show you both on the proof.
Can you redraw or adjust my artwork?
We can make production adjustments — adding bleed, outlining fonts, adapting a mark into a repeat. Substantial design work is a separate conversation, and we will say so rather than quietly reinterpreting your identity.
Have artwork checked
Send your file with a quote request and we will run the checks above, then come back with a proof or with exactly what needs changing.