Your own colour box: the files a factory needs, and the six mistakes that delay shipments
Custom packaging rarely delays an order because of printing. It delays orders because of files: a font that was not outlined, a colour set up for a screen, a design that no longer fits its dieline.
What to send
- The full design source file for each box or label.
- The dieline — the cutting and folding outline.
- The barcode file (EAN or UPC).
- A short brief: finished size, board or label material, finish (matte or gloss lamination, hot foil, spot UV) and quantity.
| Item | What we need |
|---|---|
| Format | AI (vector) preferred; PDF only if it is a vector PDF, not an image saved as PDF |
| Images inside the file | 300 dpi or more |
| Bleed | 3–5 mm on colour boxes, 2–3 mm on labels |
| Not suitable | JPG or PNG artwork — it blurs when printed at size |
Who draws the dieline
Either side can. We recommend you supply it: send the dieline in AI format with the dimensions confirmed, and we print from it as it is.
If you give us the finished length, width and height, we can draw it. Our dieline covers the geometry only, not the design, so please check the dimensions yourself before approving.
The trap is in between: we draw a new dieline, your designer places the artwork on it, and nobody checks the fit again. Always compare the final file against the final dieline.
Barcodes
- Send the barcode as vector (AI or PDF). A screenshot or pasted image often will not scan once printed.
- Do not shrink it freely; stay at or above about 80% of standard size.
- Keep the blank margin around it (the quiet zone) — at least 5 mm on the left and right.
- We check that the barcode prints cleanly, but we do not verify that the number itself is valid or registered. That responsibility stays with the brand owner.
Proofs before printing
| Proof | Time | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Digital proof | 1–3 days, charged | Layout and content; colour is only a guide and will not exactly match production |
| Press proof (same press and inks as production) | 3–7 days, higher charge | What the production run will actually look like |
We strongly recommend a proof. If you choose to approve from the PDF alone, we will confirm in writing that colour is not guaranteed, and print only after you accept that.
The six mistakes we see most
- Fonts not converted to outlines — the most common by far. Our computer does not have your font, so the text is substituted or garbled.
- RGB colour instead of CMYK. Screens mix light, presses mix ink; RGB converted to CMYK comes out duller and shifted, and turns into a colour complaint.
- No bleed, or the wrong amount, so edges show white or the design is trimmed.
- Low-resolution images (72 or 150 dpi), which print blurred.
- Artwork that does not line up with the dieline.
- Barcodes pasted as images, or with too little quiet zone, which fail to scan on the finished goods.
Three delays that were entirely avoidable
- An AI file arrived with live fonts. The problem only showed up at typesetting for production; the file went back for correction and the schedule lost two to three days.
- A design was submitted in RGB, with no proof. The whole run came off the press noticeably dark: reprint, or accept the colour — either way, a later shipment.
- A buyer altered the dieline but not the artwork. The first-article check found the design cut in the wrong place, and the file had to be redone.
The fix for all three is the same: send the file checklist at the start of the order, and check every file against it before it leaves your designer.