Guide
Pouch Artwork Setup Guide
Supply pouch artwork as a print-ready PDF, AI or EPS file built on the dieline we send you, in CMYK, with 3mm bleed on every edge, all type converted to outlines and all placed images at 300dpi or better. Keep critical text and logos at least 5mm inside the trim, and leave the seal and gusset areas clear of anything that has to line up precisely.
Start from our dieline, not a blank page
Every pouch size has its own dieline: a template showing the trim, the fold positions, the seal zones and the gusset. We send it as a layered file once your size is confirmed. Building artwork on top of it is the single biggest thing you can do to avoid a reprint, because the fold positions are not where most people assume they are.
Keep the dieline on its own locked layer and do not move, scale or flatten it. When you export, leave it in the file — we use it to check registration and then suppress it before print.
Colour, bleed and resolution
Build in CMYK. RGB files get converted on our side, and bright RGB greens and blues shift noticeably when they do, so converting yourself means you see the result before we print it. If you have a brand Pantone, name it in the file and tell us — digital print approximates spot colours rather than mixing them, and we will tell you honestly how close it will land.
Extend background colours and images 3mm past the trim on every edge. Without bleed, the natural movement in converting leaves a thin unprinted line along one side.
- Colour mode: CMYK
- Bleed: 3mm on all edges
- Safe margin: 5mm inside trim for type and logos
- Images: 300dpi at final printed size
- Type: converted to outlines, or fonts embedded
- Minimum type size: 6pt positive, 8pt reversed out
What gets artwork sent back
The most common reasons we return a file are: type left live with a font we do not have, images placed at screen resolution, no bleed, RGB colour, and barcodes scaled below the readable minimum. All five are quick to fix at your end and slow to fix at ours, so we check on receipt rather than at press.
Barcodes deserve a specific mention. Print them at 100% or larger, in solid black on a light background, with the quiet zones intact. A barcode reversed out of a dark colour or shrunk to fit will fail at the till.
If you do not have artwork yet
That is normal and it does not need to hold up your enquiry. Choose 'I need design help' in the spec builder, describe roughly what you want, and we will quote the print job and the design work separately so you can see what each costs.
Related questions
Quick answers
- What file format do you need for pouch artwork?
- Print-ready PDF is preferred. Native Illustrator (.ai) and EPS files are also fine. Send layered files rather than flattened images wherever possible, so we can check the dieline alignment.
- How much bleed does a pouch need?
- 3mm on every edge. Extend background colours and images past the trim so that normal movement during converting never exposes an unprinted edge.
- Do I have to outline my fonts?
- Yes, or embed them fully. Live type with a font we do not hold will reflow or substitute, and you will not see it happen until the proof.
- Can you design the artwork for me?
- Yes. Select 'I need design help' in the spec builder and describe what you want. We quote design separately from print, so you can see exactly what each part costs before committing.
Still have questions? Email hello@thepouchworks.com and we'll get back to you within one business day.