What is the importance of bleed in printing?

In the printing world, ‘bleed’ is a crucial concept that ensures your final printed material looks professional and precise. At Print Harbour, we pay meticulous attention to the bleed in all our printing projects. Understanding the importance of bleed can significantly enhance the quality of your printed materials. Here’s why bleed is essential: 

Preventing White Edges

Bleed refers to printing that goes beyond the edge of where the paper will be trimmed. This is important because it ensures that no unprinted white edges occur in the final product if the cutting is slightly misaligned.

Professional Finish

Including a bleed in your design gives your printed items a more professional finish. It’s particularly crucial for items where colour extends to the edge of the paper, like brochures, business cards, or flyers.

Consistency in Mass Production

When producing large quantities, slight variations in cutting are inevitable. A bleed ensures that these minor discrepancies don’t affect the overall look of your printed materials.

Design Flexibility

Bleed provides designers with more flexibility. It allows for the use of background images or colours that fill the entire page, creating a more dynamic and impactful design.

Technical Specifications

The standard bleed size is typically 3mm (0.125 inches) beyond the final trim size. This specification can vary, so it’s important to check with your printer – in this case, Print Harbour – for their specific requirements.

Preparing Files Correctly

To ensure a quality print, your design files should include bleed. This might require adjusting the layout of your design slightly to accommodate the extra space for the bleed.

At Print Harbour, we’re dedicated to ensuring every aspect of your printing project is executed flawlessly, and understanding the importance of bleed is a part of this. We’re here to guide you through preparing your files correctly to ensure the final product meets your expectations. Contact us for any assistance with your printing needs, and we’ll make sure your project looks impeccable from edge to edge.