What is bleed or bleed edge?

Bleed, or bleed edge, refers to the area of a document that extends beyond the finished size. It ensures that when the document is trimmed to its final size after printing, there are no white borders or unprinted edges. Bleed is essential for designs where images, colours, or backgrounds extend to the edge of the page.

For example, if you have a business card with a background colour that goes all the way to the edge of the card, you would need to include a bleed area to prevent any white borders from appearing after trimming. Typically, the bleed area is around 3mm beyond the trim edge, but this can vary depending on the product being printed.

Including bleed in your artwork ensures that your printed materials have a professional and polished look.

It's an important consideration when preparing files for printing, and our team can provide guidance and assistance to ensure your designs are set up correctly for printing