SKLUBS / BUYING GUIDE
Print-ready packaging artwork: a practical checklist
A packaging design is ready for technical review when it matches the agreed construction and can be opened without missing information. Start with the supplier’s specification, then check the exported file—not just the design on your screen.
SKLUBS editorial team · Updated 8 October 2026
Get the dieline for the exact pack
Confirm the product reference, finished dimensions and options before requesting the dieline. Two pouches with the same outside width may have different printable areas because their seals and closures differ. A similar-looking template from a previous project is not a substitute for the approved construction.
Keep an unchanged copy of the supplied template. Identify the front, back, folds, glue areas, seals and any areas that must remain unprinted. Ask how technical lines should be delivered: on named layers, as specified spot colours or in separate files. Do not redraw structural lines to make the artwork fit.
Distinguish trim, bleed and safe areas
The finished outline, background extension beyond the cut and inward clearance for essential content serve different purposes. A logo inside the finished outline can still be too close to a fold or seal. Use the values and exclusions supplied for this particular pack.
Before laying out text, check the orientation of every panel after assembly. A simple folding mock-up can reveal an upside-down side panel, but it does not validate the final material or manufacturing tolerances.
Assemble the final design assets
Use the approved logo and master text. Inspect images at their intended printed size: enlarging a small image does not add missing detail. Preserve an editable original even when the supplier requests outlined fonts or a flattened delivery file.
Keep product variants and language versions identifiable. Separate instructions for white ink, foil or selective varnish from ordinary printed graphics using the agreed production setup. A colour swatch name alone does not establish which ink or operation will be used.
Agree the export settings
Ask for the required PDF standard, colour handling, bleed and font treatment. Do not apply settings from another printer without checking them. Send a clearly named file for each reference and revision; label any assembly rendering as a visual explanation rather than a production file.
Open the exported PDF and compare its content, dimensions and page count with your source. Inspect separations and overprints where the software supports them. Unresolved questions belong in the handover message, not in an undocumented guess.
Example: two designs sharing one pouch size
This is a planning example, not a tested production result. Both designs may use the same approved structure, but each needs its own text check, artwork version and approval. Send a list matching each SKU to its file and quantity. If one design changes, make clear whether the other remains approved.
Questions before sending the files
Is a high-resolution JPG sufficient? It may help communicate the idea, but ask which editable or print-ready files are required for the chosen job. It does not by itself specify folds, technical layers or finishes.
Is 300 PPI always required? Effective resolution must be checked at final size against the printer’s requirements. A familiar numerical guideline does not replace that specification.
Does a successful PDF export authorise production? No. The supplier’s technical review and the agreed proof approval are separate steps. Prepare your files and project details, then ask SKLUBS which checks are needed for your pack.