web version: www.companyfolders.

com/fdcs
2013 Company Folders, Inc. All rights reserved.
About Company Folders, Inc
Company Folders, the standard bearer of online folder printing, delivers
absolute quality infused with the design knowledge of an advertising agency.
3297 Orchard Lake Rd, Suite 203
Keego Harbor, MI 48320
Tel: 248.738.7600 | www.companyfolders.com
IMPORTANT FOLDER TIPS
Every Folder Should:
1. Dene who you are.
2. Entice audience to look inside.
3. Direct audience to contact information.
Selecting a Product
- Review somples of slock, cooling ond prinl quolily before you order.
- For durobilily, choose o heovy slock, ol leosl 8O lbs or 12pl.
- Prinl on while slock for vibronl colors, for o color bockground, include il in
your design.
- Prinling on dork slock is nol recommended, lhe lronslucenl ink moy end up
looking muddy and washed out.
- Nole lhol die-cul edges will be lhe color of lhe slock.
- 0uslom die-culs ore on oflen overlooked design elemenl.
- Prevenl weor-ond-leor wilh rounded corners, reinforced edges or
lamination.
- Slondord pockels hold 3O-/O sheels of 2Olb poper, for more copocily, lry
expondoble or box-slyle pockels.
Printing Method
- f design conloins 3 or fewer colors, consider using PMS printing.
- f design conloins / or more colors, use /-color process.
- For foil slomping, embossing or debossing, ovoid fonls smoller lhon 12 pl
and serif fonts.
- Fmbossing works besl on lexlured slocks wilh long fbers. lvoid heovy
stocks and gloss/laminate coatings.
- Limil use of oronge ond novy blue when using /-color process.
- For lorge block oreos in 0MYK. odd /O% cyon lo 1OO% block for o richer
look.
- For blue oreos in 0MYK. odd 3O% more cyon lhon mogenlo for lruesl color.
- Melollic ond fuorescenl colors ore nol ochievoble wilh /-color process.
Fonts and Layout
- Use sons-serif fonls for heodlines ond serif fonls for body text.
- lvoid plocing imporlonl lexl or logos on lefl lhird of fronl cover.
- Surround logo wilh ol leosl 1// emply spoce.
Branding and Legal
- Verify that folders colors, design and messaging match companys identity.
- Be sure lo include conlocl informolion.
- \erify lhol folder is complionl wilh fonl ond imoge copyrighl policies.
Test Printing and Proong
- 0onsider lesl prinling your design os well os prinling color separations.
- Prinl o reduced copy, cul il oul ond fold il inlo shope lo ensure lhol
elements fall on correct sides or panels.
- Review your PDF proof for ony inoccurocies.
- For odded ossuronce, requesl o digilolly prinled loser sheel of your design.
For more tips, visit: www.companyfolders.com/blog
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PRINT-READY CHECKLIST
To ensure o prinl-reody design every lime, moke sure
to follow the guide below.
For more detailed information, visit:
www.companyfolders.com/prc
File Setup
Fdil design using. nDesign, 0uorkXPress,
Illustrator or Pholoshop.
Save as .psd, .ai, .eps, or .pdf.
Design in the template your printer provides and
keep it on a separate layer.
Separate spot coated, foil stamped and embossed
imprint areas into individually labeled layers and
highlight each with distinctive color.
Layout
lvoid plocing logos or lexl neor or lhrough die-cul
slit areas.
Keep elemenls wilhin 1/8 sofe zone.
Photos and Images
Set all raster photos and images to 300 dpi or more.
Set all scanned bitmap images to 1200 dpi or more.
Embed all images or package them along with your
primary artwork le.
Writing
Proofreod oll copy elemenls for grommor, spelling
and clarity.
Convert fonts to outlines when using Illustrator or
nDesign. Do nol roslerize fonls when using
Pholoshop.
4-Color Process
Sel design fle ond oll imoges lo 0MYK mode.
Moke sure PMS colors ore converled lo 0MYK.
ldd 1/8 bleed oreo.
PMS Printing
\erify lhol F\FRY color is o PMS color.
ldd 1/8 bleed oreo.
Foil Stamping
Make all elements at least1.5 pt thick.
Leave at least 1.5 pt space between elements.
Do not place elements on score.
Apply a distinct color to represent each foil color.
Embossing and Debossing
Make all elements at least1.5 pt thick.
Leave at least 1.5 pt space between elements.
Keep elemenls 1/2 or more owoy from lhe edge.
Do not place elements on score.
Folder Deign Cheat Sheet