File Requirements

General guidance for book printing. Your quotation confirms the exact specification for your project, including the spine width.

1. 01

   File format

   • PDF, ideally PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4
   • One PDF for the interior, one for the cover
   • Interior as single pages in reading order, not spreads
2. 02

   Page size and bleed

   • Page size equals your trim size, for example 148 × 210 mm for A5
   • Add 3 mm bleed on every outer edge where images or colour reach the edge
   • Keep text and important elements at least 5 mm inside the trim
3. 03

   Images and colour

   • Images at 300 dpi at their final size
   • CMYK for colour pages, greyscale for black & white pages
   • Rich black only for large areas, never for small text
4. 04

   Fonts

   • Embed all fonts, or convert them to outlines
   • Body text at 8 pt or larger
5. 05

   Binding margins

   • Paperback and hardcover: allow a wider inner margin, as pages curve into the spine
   • Saddle stitch: a page count in multiples of 4
   • Wire-O: keep 10 mm clear along the binding edge for the wire holes
6. 06

   Cover

   • One spread: back cover, spine and front cover
   • We send the exact spine width with your quotation, as it depends on page count and paper
   • Hardcover covers wrap around the boards; ask us for the exact cover dimensions