Quick Checks Before You Start Printing Folded Leaflets!
Confirm Your Panel Count and Fold Direction
Verify panel count for folded leaflets: If you are printing a folded leaflet, ensure the number of panels is verified before printing. A typical tri-fold leaflet will have 6 panels within the leaflet, as opposed to 3 individual panels. The fold-in panel (the central section that is folded into the main body of the leaflet) must be of a narrower width to ensure it doesn’t buckle when folded.
Check Bleed and Safe-Zone Margins
Each panel must have 3mm of bleed cut from the outside edges of the panels. It is also important to note where important text or logos are in relation to the trim line. It is generally recommended that important text or logos are positioned at least 5mm inside the trim line to prevent them from being cut by the printer.
Keep Text Clear of the Fold Crease
Your artwork will probably look better if you keep the text away from the fold of the printed leaflet. Heavier print on heavier stock can result in the folds creating quite deep lines in the paper and these will show up in the printed image. It is also possible that the image will be misaligned when it is opened up from the folded printed leaflet.
Match Paper Weight to Your Fold Type
For tri-fold or z-fold folded leaflets, it’s usually best to print on lighter weight paper such as 115gsm to 130gsm. The heavier weight paper above 150gsm can crack when folded tightly. Ask your printer about the recommended weight of paper for your folded leaflets.
Proof Your Colours in CMYK
Since folded leaflets are printed in CMYK, instead of RGB, screen colours look very different from printed colours. Ensure that all artwork (logos, images, etc) are changed to CMYK before printing folded leaflets. A useful reference for Folded Leaflet Printers Swindon is //wheatleyprinters.co.uk/printing-services/marketing-materials/folded-leaflet-printers/swindon/.
However, checking these points prior to sending your file off to print takes around 10 minutes to check over to prevent an expensive re-print.
