What is a Print Ready File?

When we say “print-ready / press-ready”, we mean it is a file with all the specifications needed to produce a high-resolution print product without requiring additional alteration or intervention. 

In other words, we, the commercial printer, can use the file “as submitted” to successfully create quality printed materials such as banners, posters and a lot more.

We’re pretty flexible with our printing, but the rules of print-ready artwork don’t bend, and to ensure you get the best print possible, we ask that you follow our guidelines below if you are supplying your artwork.

PDF stands for Portable Document Format. Supplying a print-ready PDF not only eliminates all of the extra files you would have traditionally sent to a printing company, but it will also speed your file through our pre-press department as we won’t need to load everything into our system. You create a simple workflow between you and us by supplying a print-ready PDF, enabling a hassle-free transition from design to print and delivery.

A Print ready PDF must meet specific criteria for your file to print without problems. All print-ready PDFs need to contain the following:

The file is supplied as a four-colour process CMYK and not RGB colour space.

The document’s page size is the finished trim size.

Fonts are embedded or converted to outlines, so no fonts are needed.

All scans resolutions are 300 dpi at 100% of the final image size.

Images are embedded in the file.

Files are supplied with 3mm bleed.

Any trim, score or fold marks are indicated outside the live print area.

The artwork is at least 5mm from the edge of the page; this is regarded as a safe or quiet area.

Black text is NOT 100% black and a mix of CMYK.

White text is not set to overprint. Learn more.

We understand the above list looks daunting, and this is why our production team are only too happy to lend a hand in identifying issues if they arise. We can fix some of these issues relatively quickly, but others take time and charge.

We always recommend you have artwork designed by professionals. Within our graphic design studio, each of our graphic designers is not only University educated in graphic design, but they have also been given in-depth training and guidance within our own four walls to ensure our files print as they should, every time.

We’re meticulous with our design and print quality. It’s this attention to detail that ensures we never knowingly process a file we’d consider unsuitable for print. This keeps our print quality at high levels, ensuring you get the perfect shot every time. If at any point you want to speak to our production team regarding the print-readiness of your artwork, call us on 1300721614.

CLICK HERE to learn more about our design services.

CLICK HERE to learn:  what is overprint?