Are you confused by packaging terminology? Use this table below to decode the bulk of the jargon.
Term | Description |
Bleed | This is additional image area which allows trimming to cut into the bleed when colour/images are designed to the edge of the sheet. |
Chipboard | (Grey board, quite limp) |
CMYK | Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black – the four colour process system widely used to achieve the majority of colours. |
Crash Lock | A type of box base, which forms automatically when you form the box, a more involved gluing process too. |
Die cut | The process of converting sheets to a flat box by cutting it to shape using a metal die (or punch) |
Envelope Base | As the name suggests, an envelope style tuck in which holds more securely than traditional tuck in. |
FBB | Folding Box Board |
Fitment | A separate die cut piece of card to hold your product within the box. |
Foil | An offline process where foil is applied using heat and a foiling die, leaving a reflective finish |
Four Colour Process | See CMYK |
GC2 | Cream Back |
Grain Direction | Paper is made of long fibres, the grain direction determines which way they appear across the sheet. |
GSM | Grams Per Square Metre – the weight of a material |
Hard Sized | Card for Fridge / Freezer use |
HGC1 | White backed folding box board |
Inkjet Proofs | A part of the proofing process which achieves a close colour match of the final product. |
Laminated | A plastic film with gloss of matt finish which covers the whole sheet |
Metallic | Printed inks that hold a metallic flake. |
Micron | Microns are the thickness of the material (more common in packaging) |
Pantone Colours | The colour mixing system most widely used for spot colours |
Plinth | Similar to fitment, though usually at the base of a box. |
Reverse Tuck In | When a box has a tuck in at each end the open at opposing hinges. |
Ripped Proofs | These proofs have been run through a prepress system to identify potential file issues. |
Side Seam Glue | This as it sounds, is a one glued seam to form a box, very common |
Spot Colours | Mixing and printing specific colours (not CMYK) |
Tuck-in Flap | A traditional tuck in lid used for lids and sides to seal a box. |
UV Varnish | An off-line thick varnish which is UV cured |
Varnish | Gloss or matt clear varnish Printed on press |
WLC | White lined Chipboard |