Prepress Checklist: Preparing Vector Artwork for Packaging Print
Complete engineering guide to bleed margins, quiet zones, CMYK color spaces, and crop lines for high-quality packaging offset/flexo prints.
1. Bleed & Safe Zones
Always configure a minimum of 3mm bleed margins around your dieline edges. Keep critical text and logo artwork inside the safe margin (3mm inside the cut lines) to prevent clipping during die-cutting.
2. CMYK vs RGB Profiles
All colors must be set to the CMYK color spectrum (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key Black). Files created in RGB profiles will shift dramatically when printed, leading to washed-out designs.
3. Spot Colors (Pantone Matching System)
If you require precise color matching (e.g., brand-specific logos), define them as spot Pantone colors inside your design layout file (AI or PDF).