Confused by print jargon? This glossary covers the essential terms — from bleed and CMYK to gsm and spot UV — with plain-English explanations.
Print suppliers speak their own language. This glossary explains the terms you need to know.
Paper and weight
gsm — Grams per square metre. The measure of paper weight. 80gsm is office paper; 350gsm is a business card. Silk — Coated paper with a slight sheen. Standard for leaflets and brochures. Uncoated — No coating, more absorbent, better for writing on. Gloss — High-shine coated paper. Kraft — Brown uncoated paper. FSC — Forest Stewardship Council certification for sustainable paper.
Colour
CMYK — Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black. The four ink colours in commercial printing. Pantone / PMS — Standardised spot colours for precise brand colour accuracy. 4/4 — Full colour both sides. RGB — Colour model for screens. Must be converted to CMYK for print.
Artwork
Bleed — Artwork extended 3mm beyond the trim edge. Trim — Final size after cutting. Crop marks — Lines showing where to cut. Print-ready PDF — Standard artwork format with bleed, crop marks and embedded fonts.
Finishing
Lamination — Thin film on printed surface. Not recyclable. Spot UV — Gloss varnish on specific areas. Embossing — Raised impression in paper. Foil stamping — Metallic foil applied with heat. Aqueous coating — Water-based varnish. Recyclable.
Binding
Saddle stitching — Two staples through the spine. Most common for booklets. Perfect binding — Square spine, glued. Used for magazines and books. Wire-O — Metal wire through holes. Lies completely flat.
Shop related products
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