Design Guidelines

Introduction for the graphic artist
Most artists and designers have a background in offset lithography, not flexography. If there is some flexo experience, it is in narrow web for labels, not the wide web used for paper packaging. These Art Guidelines are intended as a basic “how to” for designers and artists working on new flexographically printed shopping bag projects. The Guidelines should help to get the art done correctly the first time, minimizing prep expenses and prep time. If anything is unclear please ask.

In-line flexographic printing & bag making
Flexography is a relief printing process using photopolymer plates that are .112 thick. In many respects flexo is like printing with rubber stamps. Our printing is done In-line with the bag making. Rolls of paper are unwound into the bag machine, printed up to three colors, handles applied, side folds formed and seam glued, individual bag cut away from web of paper, bottom folded and pasted, and the finished bag is packaged for shipment. See pages 2 - 3 for step-by-step photos of this process. There is a video of the process at the Custom printed bags Site Directory link at www.yourbags.com.

Ink color matching and proofing
We use PMS colors specified, or can custom match submitted materials. There is no charge for matching. When using PMS, specify colors from the uncoated “U” section or coated “C” section as appropriate for the bag paper type. PMS ink color standards and formulations are per our ink supplier’s current PMS swatch book. Please specify the PMSU shade that best matches color(s) previously printed on coated paper. May be a different PMS #. There are many PMSC colors that can not be matched on uncoated papers, and paper colors/shades other than white.

Ink drawdowns for PMS colors on White Kraft and Claycoated sent only when requested on P.O., or when there are traps or overprints that should be approved prior to production. We send ink drawdowns for all PMS matches on Recycled Natural Kraft and Oatmeal, as well as for custom matches to colors other than PMS. Approval is needed before bags can be produced.

Metallic Inks
With our commitment to environmentally friendly water based inks and limiting the non-recoverable waste generated in our plant, we offer only three metallic inks: Gold 872, Silver 877 and Copper 876. Maximum coverage 50%, with upcharge. No custom metallic matches. Ask Customer Service about non-metallic matches to metallic colors, available without upcharge - the more sustainable ink alternative.

Design templates, logo positioning and bag proofing
Unless the design is no more than a spot print, the designer should have a template before starting artwork. Each bag size has its own template. Templates can be requested from Customer Service, or found at www.yourbags.com and www.bag-art.com. Art Guidelines are also posted at the sites. Orders for spot imprints not on a template must include logo size and positioning instructions on the P.O., e.g., “Enlarge to 6” wide, position center left to right, 3” up from bottom.”

All bags are proofed, usually as a folded one color blueprint, with different shades used to differentiate multiple colors, and/or screens of one color. These blueprints do not show actual screens. When there are screens, a conventional dylux blueline will be burned from a negative for approval of the screens. Alternative proofs may be furnished when tight register and/or complicated trapping of multiple colors are involved. Bag proof approval is needed before production.

Line width and type size
• Minimum positive printing line width: Two (2) point
• Minimum reverse printing line width: Three (3) point
• Minimum positive printing type size: Ten (10) point
• Minimum reverse printing type size: Twelve (12) point

These guidelines are subject to review with serif type faces, and with designs including areas of broad solid coverage along with small type in the same color. In these situations type/line may need to be larger and/or bolder. Think big for visual merchandising. Promote the brand to everyone who sees the bag and not just the person holding it.

Register tolerance and trap
Wherever two colors meet, a minimum 4.5 point - 1/16” - is required to trap the colors. Where two colors are adjacent and not to touch, there should be a minimum 4.5 points of space between them. As a general rule this register tolerance precludes the use of two overprinting colors to create a third color, whether with solids or screens. If attempted this would need a third color such as black to outline the shape.

Screens and halftones
The line screen used in our process ranges between 45 and 55. The coarse screen is not apparent from typical viewing distance and insures cleanest possible dot reproduction. Due to the differences between how wide web flexo and offset litho reproduce screens and halftones, we request the opportunity to review the design elements to provide specific production art direction as early in the planning process as possible. Halftones must have strong contrast, as must steps between manually selected screen values of the same color. Subtle tone variations will not reproduce. Please have the artist contact us before going very far with a design using halftones and screens. We're happy to supply printed bag samples with halftones upon request.