Apex Print + Design – Family Owned and Operated, Printing Company based in Petone, Wellington
A plain-English glossary of common print and design terms from Apex Print + Design, commercial printers in Lower Hutt, Petone and Wellington.
Bleed – Extra artwork that extends past the trim edge, so there’s no white line if the cut is slightly off.
CMYK – The four inks (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) used in most commercial colour printing.
Coated / Uncoated Paper – Coated paper has a smooth surface finish (gloss, satin or matte) that gives sharper printed detail. Uncoated paper has a more natural, absorbent surface, often used for stationery and writing.
Collating – Arranging printed pages into the correct order and sets before binding or finishing.
Creasing – Pressing a line into heavier stock before folding, to stop it cracking.
Crop Marks – Small marks printed just outside the artwork area showing exactly where a page should be trimmed.
Die Cutting – Cutting print into a custom shape using a shaped blade, rather than a straight cut.
Digital vs. Offset – The two main commercial printing methods. Digital printing suits shorter runs and fast turnaround with no setup plates. Offset printing suits larger runs, where the cost per unit drops the more you print.
Embossing / Debossing – Pressing an image or text into paper to raise it (embossing) or press it in (debossing), giving a tactile, three-dimensional finish.
Grip Edge – The edge of a sheet held by the press during printing, left with a small unprinted margin. Design and finishing need to allow for it.
GSM – Grams per square metre, the measure used for paper and card weight. Higher numbers mean thicker, heavier stock.
Imposition – Arranging pages on a printed sheet so they fall in the correct order and position once cut and folded.
Laminating – Applying a thin plastic film to printed material for durability and a glossy or matte finish.
Matte vs. Gloss – Two common finish options. Matte gives a flat, non-reflective surface; gloss gives a shiny, reflective surface that makes colours appear more vibrant.
Padding – Gluing sheets together along one edge to form a pad, used for notepads and order books.
Pantone (PMS) – A standardised colour matching system used to get an exact, consistent colour across print runs.
PDF Proof – A digital proof supplied as a PDF, used to check layout and content before printing. Screen colour can differ from the final printed result.
Perfect Binding – A binding method where pages are glued to a flat spine, commonly used for booklets and larger documents.
Perforating – Adding a line of small cuts so part of a printed piece can be neatly torn off.
Proof – A preview copy of a job used to check layout, colour and content before the final print run.
Saddle Stitch – A binding method using staples through the fold, common for smaller booklets and brochures.
Self-cover – A booklet or brochure where the cover is printed on the same stock as the inside pages, rather than a separate, heavier cover stock.
Spiral / Wiro Binding – Binding methods using a coiled or wire spine, allowing a document to lie flat when open.
Spot Colour – A single, pre-mixed ink colour (often Pantone) used instead of building the colour from CMYK.
Spot UV – A glossy, raised varnish applied to specific areas of a printed piece, often over a matte base, to add contrast and highlight key elements.
SRA3 / SRA2 – Oversized paper formats used in production to allow for bleed and trimming.
Thermography – A finishing process that raises printed text or artwork, giving it a textured feel.