FILE SUBMISSIONS:

"Press-Ready" art:

Our preferred format is Illustrator CS6 or earlier, saved as a PDF. If you send it as .AI or .EPS, be sure all links are embedded and all text has been converted to outlines.

We can also accept Photoshop CS6 or earlier, saved as .PSD or .PDF. (Do not save your art file as a JPG. JPG compression reduces the image quality every time it is saved or resaved.)

Art from all other programs should be saved as Press Quality PDF. (Depending on the program, it may be called "High Quality", "Print Quality", or "Press Quality".)

We cannot accept Microsoft Office files for printing art. Please export/save them to PDFs and send those. (If your version doesn't allow you to export or save directly as a PDF, there are many free services online that will convert your files to PDF.)

All other art:

If you are sending logos, images, etc. for us to use laying out a label for you, just send whatever you have now, exactly as it is. Do not place or insert it in any other file.

We will do our best to adapt your files to printing needs. If we have any problems, we'll contact you to discuss possible solutions.

We can accept Microsoft Word files for text only (Ingredient lists, instructions, etc.).. We cannot use images inserted into Word files. Please send the actual image file.

Call us or use the Contact Form to get the address to submit files. (Spammers have made it unwise to openly post email addresses on web pages.)

FILE REQUIREMENTS:

Finished art:

Illustrator:

All Illustrator files must be in CMYK color mode. (Go to File, select Document Color Mode, and check CMYK if it's not already checked.)

All Illustrator art should be CMYK or Pantone Solid Color only. RGB colors will be converted to CMYK for printing, and can change dramatically. All other color systems will be converted to CMYK, and may change after conversion.

Files should be saved as PDF, with either “Illustrator Default” or “High Quality Print” settings.

If you are sending native AI files, be sure all images are embedded, and all text has been converted to outlines.

Photoshop

Photoshop images must be CMYK. RGB images will be converted to CMYK for printing, and can change dramatically.

Photos, etc. should be at least 300 dpi, and at least as large as they will appear on the final piece.

Images with type or sharp, precise lines or edges should be at least 600dpi for best results. (Because this can lead to very large file sizes, we recommend you use Photoshop (or similar programs) only for preparing images and photos, and import/place them into a program such as Illustrator or InDesign to add your text.)

Photoshop images placed in Illustrator or other files should not be enlarged. Enlarging a raster image decreases its resolution. A 300dpi image enlarged to twice its size is now only 150dpi, and the difference in print quality will be noticeable.

Save your files as .TIF, .PSD, or .PDF. Do not use JPG for print files. JPG compression reduces the image quality every time the file is saved. (Exception: if you are sending us JPG files to use in laying out a label for you, do not resave them. Just send them as they are.)

Other Programs

Files from other programs should be saved as PDF files and sent that way. That gives us the best chance of being able to use them.

Files for Design and Layout

Images, photos, logos, etc. for need to be CMYK or Pantone Solid color, 300dpi or more, and actual size or larger. RGB will be converted to CMYK, and may change color. Images less than actual size and/or less than 300 dpi may become "jaggy" when enlarged.

BUT...if your images are not already in those formats, just send us what you have. We'll do what we can to make them usable, and we'll contact you if we have any questions or problems.

We have a great deal of experience converting files, and the tools to do the best possible job of it.

Note that we cannot enlarge images very much, nor can we increase resolution significantly, without making the image look fuzzy or “jaggy”. Images do need to be at least as large as they'll appear on the finished label to look good on the final piece. (Images and logos taken from websites are almost never suitable for printing.)

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us.