Packaging, explained.
Plain-English guides to the parts of packaging design that trip people up: dielines, bleed, spec sheets, sizes and the handoff to your printer.
How to Read a Dieline: Cut, Fold, Bleed and Safe Area Explained
A plain-English guide to packaging dielines. Learn what cut, fold, bleed and safe area lines mean and how to prepare artwork your printer will accept.
6 min read
Bleed vs Safe Area in Packaging: What They Are and Why Printers Reject Files Without Them
Bleed and safe area are the two margins every packaging printer checks. Learn what each one is, how big to make it, and how to set them up so your file passes preflight.
5 min read
What Is a Packaging Spec Sheet? The Nine Things Your Supplier Needs to Quote
A packaging spec sheet tells a supplier exactly what to make. Here are the nine fields every spec sheet needs, with examples, and how to produce one without a packaging engineer.
5 min read
Mailer Box Sizes: A Practical Guide to Choosing the Right Box for Your Product
Standard mailer box sizes in mm and inches, how to measure your product, and how to pick a size that protects the product and keeps shipping costs down.
5 min read
How to Send Packaging Files to a Printer (Without Three Rounds of Revisions)
A step-by-step guide to preparing and sending packaging artwork to a printer or converter: file formats, layers, dielines, proofs and the questions to ask before you approve.
5 min read
Packaging Design for Small Brands: How to Get Shelf-Ready Without an Agency
A founder's guide to designing product packaging on a small budget: what to decide first, which formats to start with, how to brief a freelancer or do it yourself, and how to get to a supplier quote.
5 min read
Put it into practice.
Design on a real dieline and see your pack in 3D. Start on the free plan.