On the Floor

Recently one of our print clients had a dilemma. We had previously designed for them a standard 3 panel/2 fold brochure that was meant to be modified and reprinted several times throughout the year as the information changed. Their budget had already been approved by the powers that be. Then, as often happens in these situations, the content for then next brochure expanded significantly.

There was no way we could fit all the text into the original layout without making the type unacceptably small and/or remove most of the images. We would need a larger piece.

The challenge from a production standpoint is that when you stray from a very standard size and number of folds, the cost invariably goes up. And this was not an option.

I quickly consulted my new favourite print production related website, www.foldfactory.com for ideas.

This site provides info on all things related to paper folding. Folding is a critical, yet often overlooked aspect of many printed pieces and, as the site states, getting it right at the planning phase can greatly improve the final outcome. The site’s primary offering is a piece of software; a plug-in for InDesign that helps the designer create a print file that mathematically compensates for the dimensionality of the paper when it is folded.

Along with this great tool, foldfactory.com offers an “ideas” section where you will find videos that demonstrate a slew of various folding styles and options. One of my favourite features, and one that was particularly useful for our client’s problem, is that each print sample is identified by degree of difficulty, which helps when you are working within a budget.

We soon found a solution that would not be too difficult for the bindery and would allow us to stay within the original design parameters and print budget. The solution was to increase the size of the piece, choose a lighter paper stock and reduce the quantity slightly. To maintain the design, which included a tear off registration panel, we chose a 3 panel, letter fold with short interior flap. The cost remained the same, even taking into account the increase in mailing costs for the larger size.

In addition, the final size, 10” x 7”, made this piece stand out from the standard 3 panel brochure; an added bonus.