Understanding Print Specs: Bleed vs Safe Zone
When preparing files for commercial printing, setting up your canvas correctly is the most important step. If you do not understand the difference between the bleed line and the safe zone, your final marketing materials will likely print with uneven white borders or missing text.
The Margin of Error
Commercial paper cutters are highly precise, but massive stacks of paper can shift slightly during the trimming process.
- The Bleed Area: Bleed is the extra background color that gets cut off. You must extend your background images past the final cut line to ensure the color prints perfectly all the way to the absolute edge.
- The Safe Zone: The safe zone ensures text isn’t too close to the edge. It acts as an internal safety border, keeping your critical information completely protected from the cutting blade.
The Raven32 Recommendation
Never leave your design margins to chance. As your printing and promotional experts, our absolute best advice is to never put your phone number or logo outside the safe zone, or it might get trimmed off during the cutting process. Contact our pre-press team today to secure perfectly formatted templates for your next project.