Business Cards File Preparation Guide

To ensure the best results for both Standard Digital and Premium Specialty cards, please follow these guidelines carefully.

1. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS (For All Cards)

FILE FORMATS

Preferred: PDF (High Quality Print).
Accepted: AI, EPS, PSD, JPG (300 DPI).
Fonts: Must be converted to Outlines/Curves.

BLEED & SAFETY

Bleed: 0.125" (1/8 inch) on all sides.
- Standard 3.5" x 2" card → File size: 3.75" x 2.25".
Safety Margin: Keep text 0.125" inside the trim line.

COLOR MODE

CMYK Only: Convert all artwork to CMYK.
No RGB: RGB colors will shift and look duller in print.

2. SPECIAL FINISHES GUIDELINES (Critical!) ⚠️

If you are ordering Foil Stamping, Spot UV, Embossing, or Letterpress, you must provide proper Mask Files.

HOW TO PREPARE A MASK FILE:
You need to supply two separate files (or pages) for each side:

The Artwork File: The CMYK design that will be printed (Ink).
The Mask File: Indicates where the special finish goes.
- Use 100% Black (K:100) to show the special finish area.
- Use White for areas with no finish.
- Vector Only: Mask files must be vector (PDF/AI/EPS) for crisp edges. Do not use raster images (JPG) for masks.

SPECIFIC RULES:

Foil & Letterpress:
- Minimum line thickness: 0.5pt. (Thinner lines may break or not adhere).
- Avoid large solid areas of foil (it may peel or bubble).
- Naming Example: Front_Artwork.pdf & Front_Foil_Mask.pdf.
Spot UV:
- Ensure the mask aligns perfectly with the artwork file (0.125" bleed included).
- Do not apply Spot UV over very small text (under 8pt).

3. RICH BLACK (For CMYK Print)

Standard Cards: For a deep black background, use C:60 M:40 Y:40 K:100.
Letterpress/Foil: Do not use Rich Black. Use specific spot colors or foils as requested.

4. BORDERS

We do not recommend borders on business cards.
Due to mechanical cutting tolerance (+/- 1mm), borders can look uneven. If you must use a border, make it at least 0.18" thick.

5. DOUBLE-SIDED ROTATION

Files are printed HEAD to HEAD.
Please ensure both front and back files are oriented the same way. If mixing Portrait and Landscape, rotate one side 90 degrees.