August 7, 2025
When it comes to producing custom paper packaging, one of the most common concerns among customers is:
“Is my artwork workable for printing?”
Whether you're a startup brand or a seasoned business, it's natural to feel uncertain—especially if you or your designer aren’t familiar with packaging printing requirements.
At EPC, we help clients from all industries prepare and check their packaging artwork files before production. In this article, we’ll walk you through exactly what makes an artwork file "print-ready" and how to avoid common issues that could delay production or affect quality.
To ensure your custom paper packaging artwork is suitable for professional printing, please use one of the following formats:
If your artwork contains images or photography, make sure all images have a resolution of at least 300 DPI (dots per inch). Low-resolution images may appear blurry or pixelated in the final print.
📌 Tip: We also suggest sending us a screenshot (JPEG or PNG) of your file layout so we can quickly preview it and check if any formatting shifts when we open the source file on our end.
Yes—fonts are crucial! One of the most common problems we see is missing or distorted fonts caused by unembedded text.
To prevent this:
If the fonts aren’t embedded or outlined, they may appear incorrectly when opened on a different system, leading to costly misprints.
Color accuracy is critical in custom packaging printing.
Most screens use RGB color mode, but printing machines use CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black). Although RGB and CMYK may look similar on screen, they print very differently. That’s why:
This helps ensure that the final product matches your brand colors as closely as possible.
For custom printed boxes, labels, or pouches, the bleed area is essential. A 3mm bleed on all sides is standard for most packaging files. This ensures no important elements get cut off during trimming.
So remember:
Not all designers are experienced with packaging dielines. If that’s the case, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered!
At EPC, we offer free dielines/templates for all our custom paper packaging structures. Whether it’s a tuck-end box, paper tube, drawer box, or stand-up pouch, we’ll provide a file for your designer to work with. All your designer needs to do is add the artwork to the template.
Packaging artwork files—especially high-resolution files with images—can often exceed typical email limits. If your file is too large to attach:
This method is fast, secure, and ensures we get your file without issues.
Here's a checklist to confirm your file is workable:
✅ File format: AI, PSD, or CDR
✅ Images: At least 300 DPI resolution
✅ Fonts: Embedded or converted to outlines
✅ Color: CMYK only
✅ Bleed: 3mm on all sides
✅ File sharing: Use Google Drive or WeTransfer if needed
✅ Not sure about structure? Request our dieline/template
At EPC, we’re committed to making the custom packaging printing process easy and efficient. If you’re unsure about your file, just send it to us—we’ll be happy to review it and let you know if adjustments are needed.
As a leading custom paper packaging manufacturer in China, EPC has helped hundreds of businesses design, prepare, and produce their branded packaging. From startups to global brands, we provide:
📩 Need help checking your artwork file?
Just send it over—we’ll guide you every step of the way.