Template flyer leaflet: bleeds, cutting lines

Q: Should the front and back be provided in the same PDF or separated?

In the same PDF, front page 1 and back page 2. This is the conventional order and the one our studio expects. If you provide two separate PDFs (one front, one back), name explicitly: flyer_project_recto.pdf and flyer_project_verso.pdf .

1. Flyers: preparation of the file

A flyer is the easiest printed medium: a flat, double and reverse sheet, without folding. The technical rules are those of all printed flat supports:

3 mm of bleeds On either side.
Quiet area of 3 mm interior (no text, logo, pictogram less than 3 mm from the cut edge).
Cutting characteristics preferably, placed at least 3 mm from the finished format.

Standard flyer formats

Format	Dimensions (mm)	Use
DL	99 x 210	Third party A4, commercial displays
A6	105 x 148	Compact flyer, hand-held distribution
A5	148 x 210	Flyer standard, brochure courte
A4	210 x 297	Large format flyer, product sheet
Square 150 x 150	150 x 150	Flyer design, creative communication
Square 210 x 210	210 x 210	Presentation format square flyer

File to provide for a flyer

Only one PDF containing 2 pages : page 1 = front, page 2 = back. With cut strokes placed at least 3 mm from the finished format. CMYK Coated Fogra 39 mode, vectorized fonts, 300 dpi.

Our advice: On small quantities (1-500) flyers, digital printing is often more cost-effective than offset printing. On large quantities (1000+), offset takes on the advantage of quality/price. Our referee studio internally according to your order, you do not have to choose.

2. Brochures: the logic of the imposed shutters

A flyer is a flyer with folds. The number of shutters and the direction of the fold determine the tax to be observed in the file.

The main types of folds

2-flap (central fold) : a sheet folded in two. 2 columns side by side on the front + 2 columns on the back.
3 flaps fold accordion (zigzag) Three columns side by side, alternate folds (one inward, one outward). All columns have the same width.
3 flaps fold rolled (C) Three columns, two folds in the same direction. The inner flap (which folds the first) must be 2 mm shorter than the others to avoid being pinched.
4 part folder (portfolio fold) : four columns with a central fold + two side folds that fold towards the centre.

For each type, we give a template with the flaps set to the right size and the folds indicated in dotted.

3. Position of elements in relation to the fold

The fold of a leaflet introduces a design constraint that is not on a flat flyer: a text or illustration too close to a fold can be distorted during folding, masked when the leaflet is folded, or truncated visually.

Elements to avoid on the fold

Text on a ply : A word cut in half by the fold is illegible. Position the text blocks entirely inside a shutter, at least 5 mm from the fold.
Barcodes, QR codes, NFC on a fold These elements must remain flat to be scanned. Always in a whole shutter.
Small critical pictograms on a fold : a pictograph cut by the fold is distorted.

Elements that can cross the fold (with precautions)

Large print titles : A sufficiently large title can cross the fold without hindering reading. Allow 2-3 mm of breathing on either side of the fold.
Illustrations that open : a large image that is discovered when opening the leaflet can cross several shutters.
Separation threads, decorative features : no problem, the fold visually completes them.

Be careful with the rolled fold: on a folded 3 flap leaflet, the inside flap (which folds the first) must be 2 mm plus court other flaps, otherwise it exceeds or creases. Our template provides this difference in width automatically.

4. Most common flyer formats

Closed format	Open format (3 shutters)	Use
DL (99 x 210 mm)	297 x 210 mm (A4 paysage)	Standard commercial brochure
A5 (148 x 210 mm)	444 x 210 mm	Product brochure, presentation booklet
A6 (105 x 148 mm)	315 x 148 mm	Compact brochure, instructions for use
Square 100 x 100	300 x 100 mm	Design striped folding
Square 148 x 148	444 x 148 mm	Open landscape square folding

The open (flat) format is the format of your print file. The closed format is what the client receives after folding. Our template shows both dimensions and places the folds at the right locations.

5. Files to provide for flyers and flyers

For a flyer (without folding)

A 2-page PDF: page 1 = front, page 2 = back. Cutting strokes 3 mm from finished format, 3 mm bleeds, CMYK Coated Fogra mode 39, vectorized fonts, 300 dpi.

For a leaflet (with shutters imposed)

A 2 page PDF to the open format (flat): page 1 = double with all flaps side by side according to the bending direction, page 2 = reverse with flaps in the corresponding direction. Cutting strokes 3 mm from the outer finished format. Foldings indicated in discrete dotted (our studio removes them before printing but they are used for control).

Our studio validates: if the direction of the front/side shutters is inconsistent (e.g., recto in accordion fold but reverse in rolled fold), we return to you to adjust.

Our advice: printing a hand-folded prototype A4 before sending the final file. This allows you to visually check that the text blocks fall well into the right shutters, that the images cross the folds correctly, and that nothing important is hidden when the leaflet is folded.

6. Checklist before sending the flyer file or flyer

3 mm bleeds on all edges of finished format
Quiet area 3 mm respected (texts, logos, pictorials)
Cutting lines at minimum 3 mm of finished format (preferably included)
For a brochure: shutters imposed by type of fold
For a fold folded leaflet: 2 mm shorter inside shutter
No critical text or pictogram on a fold
Barcodes, QR codes, NFC fully in one pane
PDF with front page 1 and back page 2
CMYK Coated Fogra 39, 300 dpi mode, vectorized fonts
Direction of the front/versal shutters consistent with the fold

For technical bases applicable to all media, see our general information sheet. For stapled booklets (several pages linked), see the stapled booklets.

French manufacturing process B2B

Understanding the downstream process illuminates file preparation choices. Here are the main manufacturing steps in order:

Receiving and checking the file (24 to 48 hours). Our studio checks: CMYK mode, resolution, bleeds, vectored fonts, quiet area, text meaning per face. If not compliant, return with detailed report for correction.
BAT validation (Good to shoot, 24h). We send a PDF or physical BAT according to your choice. Explicit validation mandatory before launch.
Pressing and printing (3-7 days)Offset for medium and large series, digital for small quantities and prototypes. Plant inks on all our B2B supports.
Finishes (1 to 5 days depending on options). Film coating, selective varnish, hot gilding, embossing, polishing of the songs: check our glossary of finishes.
Cut, fold, back-up, assembly (2-5 days). On our industrial lines or in ESAT workshop for manual operations with high added value.
Quality control and packaging (1 to 2 days). EN71 compliance test on games intended for a family or child audience, visual inspection of the whole lot.
Shipping (24 to 72 hours)Delivery France metropolitan via partner carrier. Possibility of logistics storage at our home for orders spread over time.

Average total time: 3 to 5 weeks depending on complexity, finishes and quantity. For urgent orders (seminars, trade shows), we offer an express mode on certain formats: request a quote.

Regulatory compliance and certification

Board games intended for the general public or children must meet several standards:

EN71-1, EN71-2, EN71-3 European standard on the safety of toys (mechanical resistance, flammability, chemical migration). Our cards, cases, boxes and trays for children or families are systematically tested. See our page on safety standards toy.
CE : compulsory marking for sale in the European Union. Cover EN71 and other directives.
REACH European Chemicals Regulation. Our inks and film-coated products are REACH compliant.
PEFC / FSC : certifications for sustainable forest management. We work with certified papers on request.
ESAT (Establishment and Labour Support Service) : our partner workshop in Brittany is a ESAT, which allows the client companies to count their orders under the obligation to employ disabled workers (Law of 11 February 2005).

In your brief, specify the expected certifications: we adapt the materials and processes accordingly.

Questions frequent

How much money was lost for a flyer or a flyer?

3 mm on each side, standard value for printed flat supports. All elements of the bottom (colors, photos, patterns) must overflow by 3 mm beyond the finished format. Do not put text, pictograms or logos within 3 mm of the cut edge.

Should we provide the cutting lines?

Yes, preferably for flyers and flyers. Cutting lines (magenta cyan lines at angle, placed at least 3 mm from the finished format) facilitate visual control by our studio. Without cutting lines, we have to re-scale the line from the PDF, which lengthens the time.

How to impose the shutters of a leaflet?

The flaps of a leaflet must be imposed according to the chosen fold. For a brochure 3 flaps fold accordion: three columns side by side in front, three columns side by side in the back (with a direction to be validated according to the fold). For a leaflet 3 flaps folded fold: the central column + right column + left column folded inside (width of the inside flap 2 mm shorter than the others). We give a template with the flaps set.

Should the front and back be provided in the same PDF or separated?

In the same PDF, double page 1 and reverse page 2. This is the conventional order and the one our studio expects. If you provide two separate PDFs (one front, one back), name explicitly: flyer_projet_recto.pdf And flyer_projet_verso.pdf.

What standard formats for a flyer?

A6 (105 x 148 mm), A5 (146 x 210 mm), A4 (210 x 297 mm) for standard formats. DL (99 x 210 mm) for the third of A4 used in commercial displays. Square size 148 x 148 mm for a modern design look. As far as possible up to large A3 format.

How to position the elements in relation to the fold on a leaflet?

For elements crossing the fold (titre cut in half, illustration that opens), work with a slight respiration of 2-3 mm on each side of the fold to prevent a bending offset truncates the element. For text areas, completely avoid placing a word on the fold: position the text blocks entirely in a shutter.

Sources and references

INSEE — French games & toys market studies 2025
European standard EN71 — toy safety (EN71-1 mechanical, EN71-2 flammability, EN71-3 chemical)
FFJP — French federation of toy and childcare industries
AFNOR — responsible paper labels PEFC and FSC
Bpifrance study — SMEs and B2B purchasing 2026

Need a custom template for your project? We provide a template dedicated to each order, the exact size of your format and the bleeds set on the manufacturing line. EN71 compliance, including plant inks and ESAT manufacturing.

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