Notepads

Submission specifications for Notepads

Add 3 mm bleed.

To allow leeway for cutting differences in production, always add a bleed of 3 mm around all edges of your design. Make sure colours, background pictures and layouts extend into the bleed area so as to avoid leaving white lines as a result of cutting tolerances.

Keep 4 mm safety margin

Keep all important text and images at least 4 mm away from the edge of the finished size. Exclusive finishes need to be within the safety margin

Resolution of at least 300 dpi.

Make sure the resolution of the images and graphics in your artwork are at least 300 dpi.

Use CMYK as the color mode.

Prepare your files using CMYK as the color mode, not RGB. Use colormode FOGRA39 (ISO Coated v2) for coated papertypes and colormode FOGRA47 (PSO Uncoated ISO12647) for uncoated papertypes. If you are unsure of the colour mode of your file, don't worry we can always convert this for you. Keep in mind this can cause the colours to differ from the original file.

Save your files in uneditable, print-ready file formats.

Save your files in uneditable, print-ready file formats (PDF (1.4 or higher), TIFF, EPS, JPG). Deliver your files in one layer: the background layer.

Convert fonts to outlines or embed all the fonts.

Make sure you convert fonts to outlines or embed all the fonts when saving it to PDF.

Fonts should be at least 6pt.

Fonts should be at least 6 pt.

Use the right values for full color black.

Use Rich Black (C:63% M:52% Y:51% K:100%) for larger areas and text to get a deep black color. Do not use this value for text smaller than 15 pt or plain text. This can only be used in full color printing. For designing black smaller texts use 100% black.

Make sure the ink coverage isn't higher than 300%.

Force Color Images to CMYK with a 260% ink limit (in Photoshop > Convert Color Profile > Photoshop 5 Default CMYK). Make sure the ink coverage isn't higher than 300%.

Check line thickness

Lines should be at least 0.25 pt. Negative lines should be at least 0.5 pt.

Check your artwork on overprint.

Make sure no elements in your artwork are set on overprint. Unless you want this effect in your design. The degree of transparency in printing depends on the ink, material, and printing method used.

Add lines

The writinglines are not included in our notepads. Make sure you add them in your design (if you wish).

Frequently Asked Questions for Notepads

What is this product exactly? And what can I use it for?

• A notepad is collection of paper sheets which are connected at the top or on the left side and have a grey backpad on the back. Notepads are available in various sizes and with various amounts of paper sheets.
• 
  This product is used to / as:
• To take notes or bring notes to presentations
• Supply (potential) customers with writing material
• -Represent your company's identity or brand
• -Filling up goodiebags

What is the fastest possible turnaround?

• The fastest possible turnaround for Notepads is:
• 9 working days
• NOTE: only applicable for products which require your design: To make sure that your order is delivered at the indicated time, it is important that we receive your file with your design for the product, on time (also called cut-off time). In this way the product can be moved into production on time. The deadline is always communicated in the final step when putting your product together and in the box on the right which details your entire order.
• The cut-off time for your printed item may vary. This depends on the combination you choose. This has to do with the manufacturing technique and / or the order quantities.
• NOTE: The product delivery shifts a day every time the deadline for submission has passed. This is also the case if the file is rejected by us and corrected artwork isn't supplied before the next cut off time.

Which production techniques do you use?

• For the production of your Notepads we use the following production technique(s):
• 
  Digital printing uses four colours (CMYK) with toners and inks to print digital files. This option is comparable to large home printer, and is cheaper than ‘litho’ printing for smaller quantities. This is because there are less starting costs, less components involved, and no ink drying time necessary.
• 
  Offset Lithography printing or Litho printing makes it possible to provide larger quantities at unbeatable prices. This technique creates images and text with wet ink and transferred to each paper sheet with aluminium and rubber plates. This method is more extensive than its 'digital’ counterpart because of the different printing materials that are used. Still, it is the most cost-effective option when you order bigger printed batches.

Which carriers are used for the delivery?

• For the delivery of your Notepads we use multiple carriers. Because of the highest reliability, in most cases we use UPS or DPD.
• Other carriers we use are DHL and even our own courier service. These carriers are used for certain products (depending on the size, the turnaround and the quantity).

I can't find the product I'm looking for. Can I request a quotation?

• The Notepads that is chosen in most cases can be selected via our website.
• 
  If your material type, weight, quantity, size or other specification is not listed, you can request a quotation. We will send you our offer within 1 working day.
• Depending on the complexity this can take a bit longer.

On what sides can the Notepads be fitted (glued) together?

• The notepads can be fitted (glued) together on both the left-side and on the top.
• The notepad will be clued depending on the text direction :
  - Which side is at the top depends on the text direction of the document. If, for example, the text direction in the artwork (usually a PDF) is from left to right, the artwork will be glued with the "glued at the top" option.
  - For the left side, the glued will be placed at the left of the text.

Which materials can I choose from?

• 80 gsm offset: This is the most often-used paper for copysets. The thin paper makes it easy to tear off. Because of it's structure the copysets are perfect for writing on.
• Reinforced cartboard: The back side is made from reinforced cardboard with a thickness of 1mm.

Can the notepads be ordered with boreholes?

• Yes, you can decide if you would like: no, 2, or 4 punched holes. These are very useful when you want to organise your notepads in a folder. The standard distance between the punching holes is 80mm (The European standard).

Are there lines in the notepads?

• No, there are no lines (for writing) in our notepads. You need to add them in your design.