Artwork and Proofs

What artwork do I need to send, and how do I approve it?

Good artwork is the biggest factor in how your packaging looks when it arrives. This page covers what to send, how to prepare your files, how the dieline fits in and how you approve everything before anything is printed.

What to send

• Your logo or design as a PDF, AI, EPS, SVG, PNG or JPG file. The quote form accepts all of these, up to 5 files of 20 MB each.
• Your product's dimensions, so we can fit the layout to the box.
• The colors you want, with Pantone numbers if your brand has them.

Don't have artwork yet? Free artwork and design assistance are included with your quote. Tell us what you sell and the look you want, and we will help you get started.

Tips for print-ready files

• Extend your artwork 3 mm beyond the cut line (bleed) and keep text and logos about 5 mm inside it. This protects your design from small shifts when the box is cut and folded.
• Send high-resolution files: low-resolution pictures print blurry. A logo as a vector file (PDF, AI, EPS or SVG) stays sharp at any size.
• Use CMYK color files. RGB colors can print differently from what you see on screen.
• For exact brand colors, tell us the Pantone numbers. See color systems in packaging.
• Keep text large enough to read. Very small type and thin lines can be hard to see once printed on board.

White board prints in full color. Brown kraft board is best suited to black or white printing, so plan your design around the material you choose.

The dieline

The dieline is the flat pattern of your box, with the cut and crease lines. Use our free dieline templates to place your artwork, or we draw it for you: see packaging dieline. For a custom size, shape or material, we create the dieline after you send your requirements.

How the proof process works

• You send your requirements and artwork, or ask for design help.
• We prepare the dieline and place your artwork on it, and you can see a 3D preview.
• You check the layout, text, colors and sizes, and tell us what to change.
• When it is right, you approve it. Nothing is printed until you do.

Please check everything carefully before you approve. Typos and design errors that were present in the approved proof are not covered by our reprint policy: see damaged or incorrect orders.

Checking colors and the finished box first

A screen cannot show exactly how ink looks on board. For an accurate color check, order a press proof, a flat print made with the production printing method. To check the size and fit, a structural sample is an unprinted prototype. See samples.