Stitched Books: How to Supply Artwork Guide
Stitched booklets (saddle-stitched) are created by folding sheets of paper and securing them with metal staples through the fold. To ensure your booklet is bound and trimmed correctly, please follow these technical requirements.
Stitched booklets must be supplied as two separate PDF files. This allows the cover to be printed on a different paper stock if required.
PDF 1 (The Cover): A 4-page PDF containing:
1. Outside Front Cover
2. Inside Front Cover (Page 1 of text)
3. Inside Back Cover (Penultimate page)
4. Outside Back Cover
PDF 2 (The Inners): A single multi-page PDF containing all remaining internal pages in the correct reading order.
Because each sheet of paper folded in half creates four pages, your total page count must be divisible by 4.
In a stitched booklet, the thickness of the paper causes the inner pages to "push out" further than the outer one; this is known as Page Creep.
The Trim: Because the edges must be trimmed to keep the booklet flush, more paper is removed from the centre pages than the outer ones.
Safe Margins: While our software automatically adjusts for creep, we strongly recommend keeping all text and important images at least 5mm from the page edges to ensure no content is lost during trimming.
Folds: Avoid placing graphics across the centre page folds to prevent alignment issues caused by the physical fold and staple.
