Artwork

ARTWORK GUIDELINES

We encourage you to follow the guidelines below when designing and preparing your artwork. They’ll help your order move smoothly through production and ensure your seed paper prints beautifully.

Before printing your full order, we’ll create a test print and email you a photo for approval. If any adjustments are needed, we’ll let you know and offer recommendations.

MARGINS & SAFE AREAS

Seed paper is handmade and textured, so slight movement (1–3 mm) can occur during printing and trimming. To keep your design looking its best:

Margins

• Keep all important details (text, logos, QR codes, images) at least 5 mm inside the trim edge.
• If printing to the edge, this 5 mm safe area still applies — nothing important should sit too close to the edge.

Borders

• Because seed paper can shift slightly, borders may appear uneven after trimming.
• For double‑sided printing, we don’t recommend using a border that follows all edges on the back.

BLEED & PRINTING TO THE EDGE

If any part of your design reaches the edge, your artwork must include a 3 mm bleed.

What is a bleed?

A bleed is extra artwork that extends past the trim line so we can cut cleanly without leaving white edges.

Think of it like this:

• Trim size: 100mm × 100mm
• Bleed added: +3mm on each side
• Final artwork size: 106mm × 106mm

Example showing bleed, trim line, and 5 mm safe area.

Why it matters

Seed paper moves slightly more than machine‑made paper. Without a bleed, trimming may leave thin white lines along the edges.

Important

• Extend background colours, images, or patterns into the bleed area.
• Keep text and important details 5 mm inside the trim line.

HOLES & TAG LAYOUTS

If your product includes a punched hole:

• Keep text 5 mm clear of the hole position.
• Standard hole sizes: 3 mm or 6 mm
• Hole must sit at least 6 mm from any edge.
• If the hole is not centred, remember it will appear on the opposite corner when flipped — keep both sides clear.

FONTS & TEXT

To ensure crisp, readable printing on seed paper:

• Minimum recommended text size: 7 pt
• Avoid very fine, thin, or light fonts
• Avoid small light‑coloured text on dark backgrounds (under 10 pt)
• Embed all fonts in your PDF
• If supplying artwork as Adobe Illustrator or InDesign files, please supply the font files if you need us to make changes.

COLOUR EXPECTATIONS

Seed paper is made from recycled fibres, so colours will print differently than on regular coated or glossy stock.

• Exact Pantone or colour‑system matching isn’t possible
• Expect a softer, more natural finish
• Paper colour varies slightly from off‑white to light cream

PAPER CHARACTERISTICS

Our seed paper:

• Is handmade, uncoated and unbleached
• Averages 180–200 gsm, but feels thicker
• Contains visible seeds and recycled fibres
• Has natural texture variations that add character

IMAGES & PHOTOS

For best results:

• Provide images at 150 dpi or higher
• Avoid thumbnails or low‑resolution images
• Fine details may be softened by the paper texture
• Consider that seeds may obscure small details in faces (eyes, etc.)

INK COVERAGE

Ink coverage refers to how much of your design is filled with printed colour.

We recommend keeping ink coverage to 50% or less. Lower coverage:

• Supports healthy seed germination
• Preserves the natural texture of the paper
• Produces cleaner, more consistent print results
• Is more economical

Standard pricing applies to artwork with low to medium ink coverage (under 50%).

How to determine ink coverage

Ask yourself:

• Is most of the page covered in ink?
• Is there a full‑colour background?
• Are there large solid blocks of colour?
• Does the design include large photos?

If yes, your design likely has high ink coverage.

Double‑sided printing

Only one side may have high ink coverage. The reverse must remain very low coverage for seed viability and print quality.

FILE FORMATS & SETUP

Accepted files

• Print‑ready PDF (preferred)
• Adobe Illustrator, Indesign

General requirements

• Artwork must be supplied at the correct size
• Include a 3 mm bleed if printing to the edge
• No bleed needed if nothing touches the edges
• For double‑sided printing, supply each side as a separate page or file

If supplying Illustrator or InDesign files

• Convert fonts to outlines or supply font files
• Embed images or include linked files
• Place guides or non‑printing elements on separate layers

Word or PowerPoint

Accepted only for A4 or A5 products. Ensure the document size is set correctly.

COMMON ARTWORK MISTAKES TO AVOID

A few small checks can make a big difference to how smoothly your order moves through production. These are the issues we see most often:

• No bleed included when artwork prints to the edge
• Text or logos too close to the trim line (less than 5 mm)
• Borders that appear uneven after trimming
• Low‑resolution images (under 150 dpi)
• Fonts not embedded or missing font files
• High ink coverage on both sides
• Variable data included on the back (backs must be identical)
• Artwork supplied at the wrong size
• Word/PowerPoint files used for products other than A4 or A5

A quick review of these points before sending your artwork helps ensure the best print result on our handmade seed paper.

PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS

Don’t forget to include planting instructions in your design. Here are some examples you’re welcome to use:

Example 1 This card is made from recycled paper and embedded with Swan River Daisy seeds. Soak card in water until soft. Place card on seed raising mix (in a pot or ground). Lightly cover with more mix, water and keep moist. Germination should take 7 – 21 days.

Example 2 Plant me! I’m made from recycled paper and embedded with Thyme seeds. Soak in water until soft. Place on soil and lightly cover with more soil. Keep moist and water regularly.