When designing business cards, one crucial element that is often overlooked is the concept of “bleed.” Bleed refers to the extra area around the edges of your design that is trimmed off after printing to ensure that the colours and images extend to the edge of the card without leaving a white border. For our company, we require a 1.5mm bleed on all sides of business cards to achieve the best possible print quality.
Why Bleed Matters:
- Prevents Unwanted Borders: Without bleed, your design could end up with unwanted white borders if the trimming process is even slightly off-center. This can make your card look unprofessional and sloppy, which is especially problematic for a business card that’s meant to make a strong first impression.
- Ensures Colour Continuity: Bleed allows images and colors to extend beyond the cut line, ensuring the design reaches all the way to the edge of the card. This is especially important for designs that use background images or color blocks, as it prevents any unintended gaps from appearing.
- Accommodates Printing Variations: During the printing and cutting process, there may be slight shifts in alignment. A 1.5mm bleed provides a margin for error, helping to maintain a clean and accurate final product even with these minor variations.
Designing with the Correct Dimensions:
For our standard business cards, the final trimmed size is 85mm x 55mm. However, to ensure the bleed area is properly accounted for, your design file should be slightly larger. The overall document size, including the bleed, should be:
- 88mm x 58mm (85mm + 1.5mm bleed on each side)
This additional 1.5mm on all sides ensures that the bleed area is included and that the trimming process does not affect your design. It’s essential to keep key elements—such as text, logos, and contact information—within a safe area, typically around 3mm from the trimmed edge, to prevent them from being accidentally cut off.
Conclusion:
Incorporating a 1.5mm bleed on all sides of your business card design ensures that your cards are printed and cut to perfection. By designing your card at 88mm x 58mm, you can prevent unwanted borders, maintain colour continuity, and account for any slight shifts during the cutting process. This attention to detail helps deliver a flawless, professional finished product, making your business card stand out in the best way possible.