You have questions, we have the answers.
What is flexographic (flexo) printing?
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Flexographic (also known as flexo) printing is a high-quality form of printing that uses a flexible relief plate (also known as a polymer plate) which is imaged directly on to the label material. This form of printing can be used on almost any material (substrate) such as, plastic, metallic, cellophane and of course paper. Flexographic printing is fast, economical and is widely used in the label industry.
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I have no idea where to begin; can you handle the graphics for my label?
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Yes! If you do not have a background in graphic design or printing and would rather leave the details up to us, upload your art to our FTP site or email your art or mockup to us, and we will do the rest! Still stuck? Call us and we will walk you through the process.
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What type of files do I need to send?
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We prefer to have native art files that were created in Adobe Illustrator as vector art; InDesign files are also acceptable, as well as, those formats saved as pdfs. Please do not save vector art as a Photoshop file (ie jpg) for us to use. Please include any supporting, imported files (ie Photoshop files) and all the fonts used to create your art; if your Photoshop file has layers, send the layered file, unflattened. Please send good quality, hi-res Photoshop images, preferably at 300 DPI; we cannot use lo-res images or lo-res images from your website for printing. Please set all type, except that which is dependent on Photoshop special effects, in Illustrator or InDesign.
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Click Here for Artwork Guidelines
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What programs do you work in?
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Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign. PDF’s are also acceptable; all files sent to us should include all the supporting links and fonts, including PDF’s.
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Why do you need my Photoshop files when I’ve embedded them into my file?
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We need your native, layered Photoshop files so that we can set up your file correctly for the flexography process. All Photoshop files are color corrected for our presses.
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I only have a printed copy of my logo. Can you use it for my art?
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Typically, we can recreate a simple logo from a printed sample.
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What is the largest file I can send via email?
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The largest file is around 9 MB. Larger files can be uploaded to our FTP site.
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How do I upload files to your FTP site?
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Please contact us on the best way to send us your artwork/files.
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What are “unwind instructions”?
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The unwind direction indicates how the rolls of labels are produced so that the labels are facing the correct direction on the roll for the time of application. Typically this is only important to specify when the labels are going to be machine-applied to the final product, to ensure that the applicator is receiving and dispensing the labels in the correct direction on the containers. For hand applied labels, unwind direction usually is not as important.
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Will I receive a proof?
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Yes, you will receive a proof for your approval before we print your job. We generate electronic proofs that are emailed to you or fax proofs, both at no charge. If you require a calibrated hard copy proof there is a charge of $55.00. Please let us know when placing your order what type of proof you will require.
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Why will my pdf proof not print out at 100%?
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Adobe has set the default for output in the printer’s dialog box to automatically scale any image even if it fits within the paper size. Be sure to uncheck “Scaling” in the printing dialog box and choose “None” before printing.
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Why does my PDF proof have letters such as “i’s” and “l’s” that appear bolder than the other letters when I view it on my monitor?
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This is a rendering problem with Adobe Acrobat / Reader. The preview display shows some letters as a thicker stroke, but the file will print fine. You can test this by printing a copy of your proof. By turning off “Enhance Thin Lines” in Adobe Reader’s preferences you can eliminate the display problem. Be sure to select in the drop down menu the type of hardware on which the pdf will be viewed.
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