Artwork Guide

Everything you need to supply artwork that goes to press on the first submission.

Start by asking for the dieline. We send a free layered template for your exact box before any design work begins, so your designer builds onto the real structure instead of drawing a rectangle and hoping it folds. It removes the most expensive category of packaging mistake. Request a dieline template →

The six stages

  1. Request your dieline. Send us your interior dimensions and box style and we send back a layered dieline template showing every panel, fold, bleed and safe zone. It is free and there is no obligation to order.
  2. Design onto the dieline. Build your artwork on the template layers. Never move, resize or redraw the dieline itself — prepress uses it to register the cutting die against your artwork.
  3. Run the pre-flight checklist. Work through the 12-point checklist below. Most artwork rejections are one of three things: RGB colour, missing bleed, or text sitting on a crease.
  4. Send the file. Email it to sales@boxes-custom.com with your quote reference, or attach it in the quote configurator. We pre-flight within one business day.
  5. Approve the digital proof. You receive a PDF proof showing your artwork on the folded structure. Check spelling, legal copy, barcode data and colour build carefully — this is the last free moment to change anything.
  6. Production starts. Nothing is cut or printed until you approve in writing. The production clock starts at approval, not at order.

File specification

Requirement Specification
File formats Print-ready PDF (preferred), AI, EPS. One file per SKU.
Colour mode CMYK. Spot colours named exactly as the Pantone reference, e.g. PANTONE 2035 C.
Resolution 300 dpi at final placed size. A 300 dpi image scaled to 200% is really 150 dpi.
Bleed 3 mm past every cut line, on every edge.
Safety margin Keep text and logos 5 mm inside cut lines and 5 mm away from creases.
Fonts Outlined or fully embedded. No live text in supplied PDFs.
Rich black 60C 40M 40Y 100K for large areas; plain 100K for small text.
Minimum line weight 0.5 pt on coated board, 0.75 pt on kraft corrugated.
Minimum type size 6 pt positive, 7 pt reversed out. Larger on uncoated kraft.
Dieline layer Keep ours untouched, on its own layer, set to a spot colour with overprint on.
Glue tabs Leave clear of varnish, lamination and heavy ink — adhesive needs raw board.
Barcodes Dark bars on light ground, full quiet zone, never across a crease or on foil.
Max file size 200 MB by email; we will send an upload link for anything larger.

Reading the dieline

  • Solid lines are cuts. The blade goes through. Anything outside them disappears.
  • Dashed lines are creases. Artwork can cross them, but fine detail on a crease will crack.
  • Dotted or dash-dot lines are perforations — tear strips and shelf-ready openings.
  • Hatched areas are glue tabs. Keep coatings and heavy ink off them.
  • Ghosted areas are bleed. Extend artwork into them; they get trimmed away.

12-point pre-flight checklist

  1. Print-ready PDF or AI, one file per SKU
  2. CMYK colour mode throughout — no RGB images left in the file
  3. Spot colours named exactly as their Pantone reference, with no duplicates
  4. 3 mm bleed on every cut edge
  5. Text and logos at least 5 mm from cuts and creases
  6. No critical detail sitting on a fold
  7. Fonts outlined or fully embedded
  8. Images 300 dpi at placed size
  9. Dieline on its own layer, unmodified, set to overprint
  10. Glue tabs free of varnish and lamination
  11. Barcode quiet zones intact, not across a crease, not on foil or metallised areas
  12. Die-cut windows drawn on the dieline layer, not as artwork

Colour, honestly

A Pantone reference is a physical ink standard, not a screen colour. Offset with a real spot ink is the most accurate; flexographic spot is close with more dot gain; digital simulates the colour in CMYK and most Pantones land close, with saturated oranges, deep blues and metallics the usual problem cases. Substrate matters as much as process — the same ink reads warmer on kraft and duller on uncoated recycled board. Always approve a physical draw-down on the board you are actually buying. The full comparison is in our guide to digital vs flexo vs offset printing.

Related reading

How to read a dieline

Line types, grain direction, glue-tab knockouts and barcode placement explained in depth.

Dieline templates

Request a layered template for any of our 31 box formats, sized to your dimensions.

Online box designer

Build a full specification — size, board, print, finishing, quantity — and get a quote.

Frequently asked questions

What file format should I send for box printing?
A print-ready PDF or native AI file in CMYK, with fonts outlined, 300 dpi images, 3 mm bleed on every cut edge, and any spot colours named exactly as their Pantone reference. We supply a layered dieline to build on.
Do you provide a dieline template?
Yes, free of charge and before you commit to an order. Send your interior dimensions and box style and we return a layered AI or PDF template showing every panel, fold, bleed and safe zone for your exact box.
How much bleed do custom boxes need?
3 mm past every cut line. Cutting has a tolerance of about a millimetre, so a background that stops exactly on the cut line can leave a white sliver along the edge.
Can I send a JPG or PNG of my logo?
Not for printing. Raster logos break up at print size and fine strokes disappear on corrugated board. Send vector artwork — AI, EPS or vector PDF — with fonts outlined. If you only have a raster logo, we can quote a redraw.
Will my colours print exactly as they look on screen?
No — screens are backlit RGB and print is CMYK ink on board. Supply a Pantone reference and we match against a physical draw-down on your actual production stock. The same ink prints warmer on kraft than on coated white board, and we show you that on the proof.
What happens if there is a problem with my artwork?
We flag it at pre-flight, within one business day, with a note explaining exactly what needs changing and why. We do not silently fix artwork or print a file we believe will reproduce badly.
Do you offer a design service?
We supply dielines, pre-flight checks and production advice as standard on every order. Full artwork creation is available separately — email us with your brand assets and what you need and we will quote it.
Can you print variable or versioned artwork?
Yes, on digital production. Because there are no plates, one run can carry several designs — useful for flavour, scent, seasonal or regional variants at no extra setup cost.

Send artwork or ask for a dieline: sales@boxes-custom.com · +44 7362 032578. Pre-flight comes back within one business day.

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