Here is a list of promotional products printing and industry terms and definitions.

Printing & Industry Terms

Pantone Matching System (PMS)

A book of standardized color usually in a fan format used to identify, match and communicate colors in order to produce accurate color matches in printing. Each color has a coded number indicating instructions for mixing inks to achieve that color. Please feel free to use our Color Chart as a guide if you do not have access to a PMS Chart.

Personalization

Imprinting an item with a person's name using one of several methods such as mechanical engraving, laser engraving, hot stamping, debossing, sublimation, or screen printing, just to name a few.

Set-up Charge / Screen Fee / Plate Charge

A fee charged by the manufacturer for labor and materials needed in order to transfer your logo to the printing method. A silk-screen requires a screen fee for every color, this is needed to manufacturer you the screens you will need for printing your logo. A deboss or hot stamp requires that we make you a metal plate for which the machine makes your imprint witch is otherwise known as a plate or a die. Digitizing for embroidery is the most expensive process, we need to make you a digitized tape so the stitching machine can recreate your logo on fabric. Many of these setups are outsourced to companies who specialize in correctly making these items, and the fees are the costs for this service. Often times we will keep your plate, screen, or mold on hand for a few years for reorders, this way you will not have to pay another setup charge again.

Exact Rerun

Usually there is no setup charge on exact reruns of an order.

Color Match

Sometimes the factory will have to charge a small fee to custom blend a special color that you have requested. If you select from their normal colors, you will be able to avoid this fee.

Camera-Ready

Artwork that is black and white and has very clean, crisp lines that make it easy to scan and suitable for photographic reproduction

Paper Proof

Impression of type or artwork on paper so the correctness and quality of the material to be printed can be checked. All of our non rush orders receive a paper proof to make sure your order will be completed as you desire.

Pre-production Proof

An actual physical sample of the product itself produced and sent for approval before an order goes into production. This process has high costs ($30.00- $200.00) due to the labor involved, and having to slow production at the factory to make the sample.

Production Time

The amount of time needed to produce and ship an order, once an order has been received and approved. Stock products with a one-color imprint usually ship within 10-12 working days. Custom products and those with multi-color imprints can require longer production time.

Overruns/Underruns

The number of pieces that were printed in excess of the quantity specified/ the production run of fewer pieces than the amount specified. The industry standard on most products is + 2-5%, with the exception being on paper and plastic bags. They can range from +10 to +25%. Suppliers bill on the actual quantity shipped. Most suppliers will print more than ordered in case there is a problem with a few items so you do not have to leave someone shorthanded during an event. Also you will have extra items on hand for warranty purposes.

Copy Change

A fee charged for changing the imprint copy on a product either at time of the original proof approval or upon a re-order.

Quantity Pricing

These are the prices for which we discount your items based on the quantity you would like to purchase. They are usually always clearly posted on our website.

Drop Shipment

Where we ship direct from the factory to your location. An order shipped to more than one location will be charged a fee for each additional destination. This option is not always available on all products.

Halftone

An image produced by breaking the subject into small dots of varying intensities of gray ranging from white to black.

Bleeds:

Printers cannot print right to the edge of a paper sheet. To create that effect, the printer must use a sheet, which is larger than the document size. Then the printer prints beyond the edge of the document size (usually 1/8”), then cuts the paper down to the correct document size.