Presentation Folders can help you stand out from the crowd, whether it is a small meeting or a large conference with hundreds of people. However, this is only if they are done the right way.  Before going ahead with Presentation Folders, it is important that you understand how they need to be set up beforehand, especially if you have decided to design them yourself.  Read on here to find out how best to set up presentation folders for printing!

Top tips for Printing

• Interlocked or Glued 
• Sizing
• Artwork 
• Bleed and other bits 

Interlocked or Glued

Before you begin designing your presentation folder, you need to make sure that first you are aware of the two different types they come in and secondly which one you are going to need. Firstly, Presentation Folders come in either Interlocked or Glued variants. What’s the difference you might ask? Well, Interlocked Presentation Folders are created to simply slot together, like a jigsaw puzzle made of paper. While glued ones are created to “stick together”. Interlocking ones, as they can be easily dismantled are great for storing away, for example, if you are going to be travelling a lot or perhaps if you order larger quantities than you need at that moment. Glues ones, however, due to the way they are put together allow for a gusset to be included, which allows for large quantities of print to be securely held together. When it comes down to it however, the quality of the printing never differs between the two, and it is simply personal preference as to what one to choose. It is just important to tell your printer beforehand so they know, and you don’t get something other than what you were expecting.

Sizing

Next up, you need to choose your size and again this all depends on what you are going to be using the Presentation Folders for. Here at Kaizen Print we offer two sizes: Oversized A4 and Oversized A5. They are both oversized as it means that no matter what goes in them, they are going to be kept safe, unlike some Presentation Folders that are the exact same size as the documents, meaning they can still get damaged. A4 would be perfect if you are going to be giving a presentation or perhaps are speaking at an event, as you can keep all of your notes and documents in. A5 would be great if for example you are sending out some information packs to customers, as then you can keep smaller flyers or brochures in them, as well as your business card. 

Artwork

Supplying artwork for your presentation folder can be the tricky part, however with this handy guide it won’t have to be. What is important to remember here is the shape and layout of the folder, as when designing your artwork it will be laid out flat. From here, you can either design each section individually if you wish, however we have found that it is much easier to have you artwork cover from one edge to the other, as this will provide a clean and neat looking folder one it has been printed and cut. You will find on our website that we have included templates for both sizes, in both PDF and Illustrator format to make this process even easier for you and so you have an idea of how the folder will look once it is printed. 

Bleed and other bits

The final piece of the puzzle, is to find out from your printer whether they require any bleed to be supplied along with the artwork and if so, apply this to your artwork before sending it through. Bleed is important as with any printer or press, there is a small degree of movement when the job is being processed. Without it, it may result in a white border around the image once it is cut. By supplying bleed you are cutting this out and ensuring your folder is clean when cut. As standard, we usually ask for 3mm bleed around the artwork. 

Now that you are aware of what needs to be done when setting your folders up for print, you are o your way to getting the best and ensuring you knock your next presentation or meeting out of the park! We hope the information within this article has been beneficial to you!