Artwork & Design Guideline

Important

Please make sure that your design meets our specification. These specifications have been prepared and tested by us, in order to guarantee both quality and speed of the production process of your boxes. If your artwork files do not meet our specifcations, PakFactory is not responsible for any printing errors or delays that can arise as a result. Follow the steps below to perfectly prepare your artwork files, if you are experiencing any problems, our packaging experts can assist you or you can consult the detailed guide at the bottom of the page.

8 Rules for preparing artwork files

When getting your artwork ready, please follow these 8 rules to ensure that the quality of print is at its best.

File format

AI, PDF and EPS are the preferred file formats

Color profile

All colors must be in the CMYK color space

Outline Text

All text objects must be oulined properly

Rich Blacks

Any black elements should be in 100% K value

Dielines

Do not flatten the provided dieline template

Lines

All strokes must be atleast 0.5 pt thick

Embed Image

Ensure all images are embedded properly

Graphics

All graphics must be atleast 300 PPI

Detailed guide

When getting your artwork ready, please follow these 8 rules to ensure that the quality of print is at its best.

File Format

Accepted file formats

Adobe Illustrator File:

This allows us to have native illustrator content without having artwork flattened.

PDF File:

Exported in illustrator allows all vector content as editable vector content

EPS File:

Allows unflattened artwork when opened with Adobe Illustrator and allows to be opened in other programs.

Saving PDF files in Adobe Illustrator for print

When your artwork is ready to be saved, you may go to File Save as.

On the Format dropdown menu, select Adobe PDF (pdf) and click Save.

On the Adoobe PDF Preset dropdown menu, select Press Quality and click Save PDF.

General Artwork Guidelines

CMYK document color mode

You may change your document color mode by clicking File top left of Adobe Illustrator.

Access Document Color Mode and set it to CMYK Color

Important

While PakFactory will try it’s best to match the gradient density of each color, PakFacotry is not liable for the final apperance of color.

Strokes & thin lines

If your line is a stroke, please select your line and ensure that it is at least 0.25 pt or at least 0.003 inches in thickness.

Preparing files for additional printing options

For any additional printing options (e.g. foil stamping), they should be indicated and placed in separate layers.

They should also be placed on its own artboard for clarity.

Preparing files for inside print

If your box requires interior printing, please indicate “Inside” and “Outside” on separate artboards.

The inside and outside artwork should also be placed on separate layers.

Dieline Templates

Preparing artwork with our dieline templates

Cut Line (Black Lines)

Indicates the cut at its final size. Important artwork and text should be placed at least 0.125 inches inside of the cut line.

Crease Line (Red LInes)

Indicates where the product is to be folded.

Bleed Line (Green Lines)

Indicates where the bleed line is located. Artwork up to the bleed line helps to prevent any unwanted white margins.

Safety Margin (Dotted Green Lines)

Indicates where artwork and text should safely be placed inside. Important artwork should be placed within the line.

Perforation (Dotted Black Lines)

Perforation line refers to paper that is punched with very small holes to allow the paper to be torn and folded easily

Important

Please do not change the dimensions and the orientation of our dieline templates.

Do not flatten dieline templates

Place artwork in the dieline templates in a new layer that we provide, do not flatten the dieline

Separate dieline & arwork layers

Do not edit or place any artwork in the dieline layer. Artwork should be place in a different layer.

Image Preparation

Checking image properties in Adobe Illustrator

You may access the image properties in Adobe Illustrator to ensure that all images and artwork contained in the artwork is print ready by first going to Window.

On the Window menu, select Links and a links window should show with all linked images you currently have on the document.

Ensuring image quality is set to 300 PPI

Access your Link window in Adobe Illustrator and select the image you would like to check.

Click the arrow to expand the properties info if it is not being displayed, and check the PPI value and ensure it is at the minimum 300 for best possible print quality.