Talk to Your Printer

Before beginning your design, communicating with your chosen print service provider is the most reliable way to avoid delays, rework, or rejected files. Print shops use different equipment, RIP (Raster Image Processor) software, and paper stocks, which means their file requirements often vary.

Required Information to Request

Contact your printer and ask for the following specifications:

1. Bleed Dimensions: Ask for the exact bleed amount required. (e.g., 0.125 inches or 3 mm).
2. Crop Marks: Clarify if they want crop marks included in the PDF or if their prepress software prefers a clean file without them.
3. Image Resolution: Confirm the minimum DPI required for raster images based on the intended viewing distance.
4. Color Space: Ask if they require CMYK, or if they prefer RGB files for their specific digital press.
5. ICC Profile: If CMYK is required, ask if they have a specific ICC color profile they want you to use for the color conversion (e.g., GRACoL 2013, FOGRA39, Japan Color).
6. File Format Structure: For multi-page documents, ask if they want a single multi-page PDF or individual PDF files for each page/side.

Applying Specifications in Print for Figma

Once you have the specifications from your printer, apply them directly to your Print for Figma setup:

• Create Tab: Input the physical dimensions, apply the exact bleed amount requested, and toggle crop marks on or off according to the printer's preference.
• Review Tab (DPI): Select the images in your file and use the DPI checker to verify that all images meet or exceed the printer's minimum resolution target.
• Export Tab: Under Color Conversion, select the specific ICC profile requested by the printer. Use the Order Pages and Export As settings to deliver the exact file structure they need.