The safe print area, also known as the safe zone, is a critical concept to ensure your packaging looks exactly as you envisioned. It’s the inner portion of your design where all essential text and images should reside. This ensures they won’t be accidentally cut off or distorted during the trimming process after printing.
Typically, the safe area is set at least 3mm to 6mm (1/8″ to 1/4″) inside the final trimmed size of your packaging. However, this can vary depending on the specific product and the printer’s requirements.
Here are some best practices for using the safe print area:
Keep all crucial elements within the safe zone: This includes logos, text, and any important graphics. By keeping them within this designated area, you can be confident they won’t be affected by trimming.
Extend backgrounds and images: Feel free to extend background colours or images beyond the safe zone and into the bleed area. The bleed area is the extra space that gets trimmed off during the final cut. Extending elements here ensures your design reaches the very edge of the finished product for a visually stunning result.
