Frequently Asked Questions

Our lead time will vary based on the complexity and specifications of the project. Once we have approved print files, simple projects may only take a few days to ship. More complex projects may take five to 12 working days. We can usually provide a lead time estimate at the time of any quote, and we will always do what we can to meet your expectations or deadline when possible.

We make reordering simple. Since all of your previous work is archived, just give us a call or send us an email! All you have to do is provide basic information such as your organization name, project description, the quantity and whether or not the order is an exact or reprint with changes.

No, however, if the project calls for onsite meetings, we will do our best to meet with your company or provide detailed answers, samples or project mock-ups. We prefer to rely on our in-house team of knowledgeable print professionals to give you assistance and support.

We do! If you are another printer or graphic design firm, we will provide you with great service and the utmost quality and will complete the order to your detailed specifications. We can also blind drop ship as your business direct to your customer while providing printed samples of your product for your records.

We provide custom printing and specialty finishing services for a wide range of needs. If your exact project isn’t found on our website, please contact us anyway, and a print professional will discuss your needs in detail.

Bleed simply means that a design element (i.e. an image or color) extends past the edge of the sheet of paper or trim/cut line. If a printed item has a white border on an outside edge, it means those edges do not bleed.

If your printed project has bleed, set up your document or file so that all elements that bleed extend ⅛ an inch beyond the trim line.

Bleeds: Make sure any design element that bleeds extends ⅛ of an inch beyond the trim line when exporting your PDF and include crop marks.

Resolution: Images should be at least 300 DPI for print production. Low-resolution images, such as those used on websites, will reproduce poorly when printed. They will appear blurry, especially when an image is enlarged from its original size.

Proofing and Text: Please proofread your PDF before you send it to us. Check for proper spelling and grammar. Also, make sure the text can easily be read against your chosen background color. We can not be held responsible for artwork that has been approved for production.

The term “four-color process” simply means producing printed material in color using four different printing inks – Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black. For short, those four ink combinations are also commonly referred to as CMYK.

In printing, light reflects off of paper, which is usually a shade of white, and the inks used. This is why white areas on printed pieces usually contain little to no ink. Color is achieved using the subtractive primary inks of Cyan (C), Magenta (M), Yellow (Y) and Black (K). These four inks print as separate layers of dots in a specific pattern. Varying the size, balance and angle of these CMYK dots will dictate the color perceived via this process. The color black is achieved by overprinting all four inks, and it is commonly called “rich” black. The inks absorb all wavelengths in the light so your eye perceives black.

If you have a magnifying glass, you can see these dot patterns on CMYK-printed pieces. A printed image with a wide variety of colors consists of many different dot patterns. Each pattern is specific to the color hue you perceive. 

Pantone colors are specific color formulas, much like how you buy paint from a hardware store. They are premixed from those formulas and are assigned a number that is standard across the industry. With these standard colors, printed materials using Pantone, or “spot” color inks will have a consistent color. For example, PMS 186 red means the same thing no matter who is printing the product. 

Pantone colors are a good route for one- or two-color logos because they can offer a more affordable use of color for items like envelopes and letterhead. If a logo uses four or more colors, it is often more economical to print those logos via the CMYK process. Pantone colors also offer a wider gamut of colors not possible via the CMYK process. Bright colors like neon greens and oranges do not produce well via CMYK, and true metallic inks can only be achieved via the use of metallic Pantone colors.