How to upload your files

If you are creating a staple bound or wiro bound zine, please provide the print file as a single PDF containing all pages in order (outside front cover, inside front cover, 3, 4, 5, etc, inside back cover, outside back cover) as single pages, not spreads.

If you are creating a perfect bound or hardback zine, you will need to upload 2 print file PDFs. A Cover file containing your front cover design, spine and back cover design as a single spread. And a separate Inner file containing all pages in order as single pages.

The maximum file upload is 2GB. Please contact our team if your file size is larger and we'll help you get your file into the workflow.

Please ensure that all fonts are embedded in your PDF file.

Colour

For best results, we recommend creating your artwork in CMYK Colour with 300dpi image resolution. Please be aware that uploaded RGB files will be converted to CMYK by our system, which may change some colours.

Black text should be set up with 100% black only to achieve the clearest printed text. If you are printing in greyscale, please set your artwork to greyscale prior to upload.

Cover

For saddle stitched and wiro bound zines, your cover consists of four pages in your print file PDF in order with the other pages (outside front cover, inside front cover, 3, 4, 5, etc, inside back cover, outside back cover).

Perfect bound zines require a Cover file PDF of 2 spreads (Outer cover and Inner cover with spine). Case bound zines require a Cover file PDF which must include an outer spread of your front cover, spine with 5mm hinges either side and back cover design, all surrounded by a 20mm bleed area.

If you choose to laminate your cover, only the outer spread will be laminated.

Bleed

For all zines, we ask for a 3mm bleed on each page and a 3mm quiet area inside of the edges of your page designs. Please refrain from adding important content to this area. We also recommend increasing the quiet area on the binding edge of your inner pages depending on the binding type. 5mm for perfect bound, 8mm for hardback and 12mm for wiro bound.

Binding

We have 4 binding options available for zines, including saddle stitched or stapled, perfect bound, wiro bound and hardback. Please keep in mind that binding options may depend on the number of pages in your zine. With too few pages, you may be limited to saddle stitched, whereas too many pages might require perfect bound.

Spine for Perfect Bound & Hardback

If you choose perfect bound or hardback for your zine, you will need to include a spine in your cover design. Our online ordering system will calculate the spine width when you add pages to your order. You can also see the spine width at the bottom of the file upload screen. We do not ask for a separate Spine file. Please include your spine design in a spread as part of your Cover file.

Completing your order

Please ensure that you upload artwork in the correct size and with the correct number of pages before ordering. You can only add pages in multiples of 4, so if you do not have enough content then you must add blank pages.

Please thoroughly check your proof before completing your order.