Resource · printable
Custom Packaging Spec & File-Prep Checklist
A practical prepress checklist for folding cartons, labels, and mylar bags. Use it before you brief a converter, upload art to a studio, or lock a proof. Educational only — not legal, regulatory, or compliance advice.
Production · vetted manufacturing network
The six checks that matter most
If all six are true, your art is ready to submit. The sections below cover the detail behind each one.
- Built on the die line template for your SKU
- Artwork extends 0.125 in past the trim edge (bleed)
- Text and logos stay 0.125 in inside the trim edge (safe area)
- Fonts are outlined (converted to shapes)
- Images are 300 DPI at final size, embedded or linked
- Color mode is CMYK, not RGB
Geometry
1. Structure & dieline
- Confirm product type: folding carton, label (roll/sheet), or mylar / stand-up pouch.
- Record finished outer dimensions (L × W × D or H × W) in inches or mm — one unit system only.
- Design on the die line template for your SKU — the exact shape, fold lines, and score lines for that carton. Do not resize or rotate it, and do not invent folds from a flat marketing mockup.
- Put fold and score lines on their own layer, set to non-printing, so they never image on press.
- Mark panel names clearly (front, back, glue flap, tuck, etc.) on multi-panel cartons.
- For pouches: note zipper, tear notch, hang hole, window, and valve positions relative to the seal areas.
Prepress
2. Bleeds & safe area
- Bleed: extend background color and images 0.125 in past the trim edge, so a slight cut shift never leaves a white sliver.
- Safe area: keep text, logos, and barcodes 0.125 in inside the trim edge — and off any fold or score line.
- Color can run to the edge and slightly past it; words and logos should stay a little inside.
- Do not place type across crease lines unless the design intentionally wraps a fold.
- Avoid hairline rules that sit exactly on a cut; they can disappear or thicken inconsistently.
- Leave glue-flap and seal areas free of important art unless your converter confirms overprint is safe.
Ink
3. Color, ink & Pantone
- CMYK only. RGB files get auto-converted and colors can shift — convert them yourself first.
- Convert RGB brand assets before handoff; do not rely on the press to “fix” them.
- Matching an exact brand color? Call out the Pantone (PMS) number, coated version, ending in C — e.g. PMS 186 C.
- Call out metallic, neon, or opaque white inks as separate plates — not RGB approximations.
- Set rich black intentionally (e.g. 60/40/40/100) for large solids if your printer recommends it; avoid stacking 400% total ink without guidance.
- Expect color to shift on foilboard, holographic, and uncoated stocks — plan a physical proof when color is brand-critical.
Stock
4. Material & finish
- Name the substrate: e.g. SBS carton board, silver foilboard, rainbow holographic, paper label, BOPP, foil laminate pouch.
- Specify caliper / basis weight when known (e.g. 18 pt SBS) or describe stiffness / barrier needs.
- List coatings and embellishments: matte, soft-touch, or semi-gloss AQ, spot UV, raised UV, foil stamp, emboss/deboss, reticulation.
- Note which faces get finish (outside only, both sides, selective panels).
- Special finishes — Foil Stamp, Spot Gloss UV, Emboss, Reticulation UV — each go on their own separate layer, named for what it is (e.g. FOIL, SPOT_UV). Misaligned finish layers are the top cause of reprint delays.
- For food / cannabis / cosmetics: state barrier, seal, and contact requirements early — your converter will confirm capability.
Files
5. File prep & assets
- Accepted print-ready masters: PDF (preferred), Adobe Illustrator (.ai), or InDesign (.indd), with the die line on a separate, clearly labeled layer.
- Not accepted: JPEG, PNG, PowerPoint, Canva, Google Docs, and Photoshop (.psd) — these don't hold up at print size, or risk text set in an image-editing program.
- Outline all fonts before exporting (converts text to shapes, so nothing shifts on our end).
- Images: 300 DPI minimum at the size they'll actually print. Vector logos and illustrations are always safe — they scale with no quality loss.
- Embed every image in the file, or link it and include the linked file alongside — a missing link means we can't see what you saw.
- AI-generated or AI-rendered images are fine if they meet the same 300 DPI minimum at final print size; raw AI output is usually screen resolution, so plan to upscale it first.
- Recreate any barcode or fine text as a real element — never leave it AI-rendered inside an image.
- If AI-generated art is submitted and needs to be recreated for print, an additional art fee will be quoted and approved before work begins. Not all AI-generated artwork is print ready.
- Name your file clearly: ProductName_SKU_v1.pdf.
- Sending Illustrator or InDesign? Use File > Package so fonts and links travel with the file automatically.
Ops
6. Quantity, MOQ & timeline
- State order quantity per SKU and whether multiple SKUs share a press sheet (ganging).
- Ask for MOQ and price breaks at the quantities you actually need — not only the supplier’s catalog minimum.
- Build in time for: art review → proof → revisions → plate/tooling (if any) → print → finish → ship.
- Typical commercial runs often land around 10–15 business days after proof approval.
- Confirm sample / short-run options if you need to hold stock before a full production PO.
- Align ship-to address, pallet vs parcel, and any retail compliance labels with ops before art lock.
Handoff
7. Production handoff
- Single owner on your side for proof approval (who signs off color and structure).
- Written list of open questions (window size, zipper type, spot UV map, etc.).
- Reference previous job numbers or physical samples when matching an existing SKU.
- Confirm who supplies barcodes, nutrition panels, and regulatory marks — and that they are final.
- Agree on change-order process if art or quantity shifts after proof.
Quick sign-off box
Fill when you hand off to production or share with a teammate.
- Project / SKU
- Approver name
- Date
- Next step (proof / PO / sample)