Envelope Printing - Everything You Never Knew You'd Have To Know - Part 2

 

How to Print Envelopes

After you've chosen your envelopes, it is time to decide how to have your design printed. It sounds simple, right? Knowing a few key points regarding envelope printing will make it much simpler.

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What are Some People to Know? The Pre-Press Department

After you have made it past the friendly, but not so fast-talking sales rep, you might need to speak with the Pre-Press department. Although not as intimidating as a pressman wearing ink, pre-press workers can still be very tech-savvy and are close to the frontlines. While they may be able to sit all day at their computers like other office workers, they can still speak in print jargon that you have never heard. You can always ask questions and get clarification from someone in the department. It is not a good idea to ask your sales rep about artwork issues, as they may not have any art training.

If your artwork is new or has been modified, it will always go to pre-press. They prepare it for printing by making sure that all colors are separated properly and complying with postal regulations. They prepare the artwork so it can be printed on plates. These plates will then be inked and placed on the press.

If you are unable to make the necessary changes, pre-press can make them for you. You should be informed that fees may apply for some changes. Typesetting is also handled by most pre-press departments. Even if you don't have anything, they will type your address in the font you prefer and attach it to an envelope.

Postal Regulations

This is a shame, because it makes the whole process less fun. Before you can print any design on an envelope you need to ensure that it fits within the U.S. The regulations of the Postal Service. You will likely order multiple envelopes for your business. Failure to follow regulations could result in your mail being returned or extra charges from the Post Office. If you plan to send First Class mail for each piece, you can be creative with your designs. You need to listen to the man to get bulk discounts. While we will try to warn you about some of these pitfalls, you should still contact your local postal office if you have any questions. The USPS website isn't very helpful.

Major Postal Regulations pertaining to Envelopes:

 

• OCR Read Area: Your address on your reply envelope must be in the same area as the postal machines read. This is the OCR read zone. You can check a plastic template at the post office to verify that your address is correct. Most likely, your printer has one of these templates. They can help you make sure that you are within the designated area. Pre-press might have to move or shrink the address if it is too large or out of the designated area. This could lead to additional charges.
• The Return Address – Most return addresses fit within the guidelines. However, if there is a large logo in one corner and an address below, it may not be possible to fit the address into the guidelines. In most cases, this is acceptable. If you're paying first-class postage, you can place it anywhere on the left or back flap. You must follow regulations if you are going to send bulk mail, pre-paid or other postage. You may need to shrink your logo to fit the address in the corner. Or, you can move it to the right to preserve the design. This is because your address's bottom line (city, state and zip) must be at least 2-3/4 inches above the envelope bottom. If bulk mails are returned, that's where readers will find it.
• FIMs and Postnets are also known as "those at the top" or "barcodes", and they need to be on some reply envelopes. The postnets, which are barcodes for your ZIP+4 codes, help the post office identify the type of mail being sent. To get a postnet, find out which FIM you require and if you do not need it. Pre-press can create these for you if you don't have any software. These must fit in their designated read areas with a smaller margin of error than address information. You can pre-press them, but be sure to not have background designs on the envelope that conflict with printed codes or other important information. Keep the fancy designs for mailings in the envelope.
• Postal Indicias and Business Reply Mail - If your business is large, you have probably completed BREs and obtained your pre-paid permit number. If you don't understand the above, you can contact the post office to inquire about Business Reply Mail and other pre-paid postage options. Pre-press can create an indicia (the small thing at the corner that reads POSTAGE PAYED US PRE-SORT Permit NO) if you have a permit number but don't know what to do. blah blah or a BRE graphics for your envelope (again, a fee). You can have them make you a little indicia that tells your customer to PLACE STAMP HERE.

 

You can now stop worrying. This won't apply to you if your only receiving #10 envelopes for your regular mail. Let's get on to the fun part.

Design Your Return address

The most common item printed on an envelope is the return address. Sometimes with a logo, it can be a simple address. You should pay close attention to the printing process, aside from the information about the return address.

 

• Your logo can be placed at various distances from the envelope's edge, depending on the number of colors you are printing. You can place your logo as close as 1/16 inches from the top and left sides for 1 or 2 colors. However, 1/8 inch is recommended. Your logo may end up bouncing off the edge of the press due to what we call "bounce". If you have more than one color, you will need a different press type. You may also need to place the logo at least 3/8 inches from the edges. The white space surrounding the logo is what we refer to as a "gripper". To pull the envelope through the 3 color press, the edge must be gripped. To determine how much space you require, consult your printer. Your printer will usually move your logo away from the edge if it is already in place.