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Get answers to all your questions (and a brochure too!)
Please browse through our frequently asked questions, below our Brochure Request, to find answers to any of your questions relating to our website. Need more information? Rather talk to a Branding Master? Call us at 1.800.884.1656.
Start Your Brand Here! Learn more about our graphics standards. Got questions about our graphics or process? Look below the form.
Quick Branding Guide (46 KB)
Ready to go? You can send us your high resolution logo file and pay your $99 set-up fee right here! Start Your Brand Here!
Fill out this form to get a FREE brochure and some great branding advice. Answers to some of your questions are below this form. By clicking on Enlightenment Kit you can order online.
We make the process easy. Your brand will look exceptional.
Congratulations on choosing to go forward with your own brand! I want to lay out the next steps for you so that you’ll know what to expect. The graphic design timeline can vary widely, due to all the variables we’re dealing with: design files, color matching, etc. I’ll work with you to make things on our end go as quickly and smoothly as possible.- Fill out the Brand Creation form on our website under “Submit Yout Logo.” It requests the Label Layout Information our simple form will give you detail about the process and help us get labels correct from the outset. The form includes information to pay the $99 one-time ONLY setup fee.
- Attach your logo or label design to the Brand Creation Form or email it to me at keith@mysacredfig.com Following the guidelines to meet our Graphics Requirements. If you’re working with a graphic designer, please send me their email address so I can send them this form and some additional tips.
- Once I receive your logo/label files, I’ll submit that to the layout & marketing team. They’ll verify that your logo is usable in our templates If for some reason the logo isn’t usable (not enough resolution, unable to open the file, etc.), I’ll let you know.
- Within three days of getting usable files, I’ll send you a PDF copy of the label mockup for review.
- Once you’ve given me approval on the PDF mockup, we’ll send you a hard copy within 72 hours. You’ll want to do a detailed review of every element of the label: text, placement, color and any other details you’ve requested. I encourage you to have a second person do a review as well. You can fax back the printed Label Approval form to complete your review/approval, but it is best to do it at through our secure web form: http://mysacredfig.com/mock
- At the same time we’re going through this mockup process, You and André should be working on your opening order, name changes, etc. I’ll want to know your budget, your goals for your line, and the kinds of products that you’re most interested in so that we can create a product mix that works for you!
- Once we’ve received the signed Label Approval, we will also need you to return our Terms & Conditions form before we can start on a finalized opening order. We’ll get to work on setting up all your labels and order processing. You’re on your way! You can fax back the printed Terms & Conditions form to complete your review/approval, but it is best to do it at through our secure web form: http://mysacredfig.com/terms
Below you’ll find our graphic design requirements. This has a lot of detailed information about what we’ll need in terms of file formats and software applications. Having gone through this process a number of times, I have provided these tips and information to help smooth the process and reduce the time it will take to finalize your labels. If you are working with a designer, please pass this along with the attached.
Printer Setup & Process
Our setup and printing process is not like the offset printing most designers are accustomed to. In order to provide short runs of custom labels for our clients, we use a specialized printer that allows us to create water resistant, non-smudging die-cut labels on thin vinyl adhesive stock. Our unique printer incorporates the most advanced inkjet technology ever offered in a label printer. Called Imaging Perfection™, this all-new printing technology delivers razor-sharp text, graphics and the most photo-realistic printing possible.
Color droplet size is just 4 pL and black is 5.5 pL – the smallest available on an industrial-grade color label printer. Print resolution is up to 4800 dpi versus just 1200 dpi on other printers.
Even if you/your designer provide us with complete mockups, the artwork must still go through two additional steps on our end: first, the layout you provide needs to be recreated within our master label templates (which include ingredients, product description, etc.). The more complex the files we receive, the longer the first part of this process will take. I think it’s helpful for everyone to be aware that files received do need to be manipulated before they can be printed. We take the utmost care with recreating layouts but as with any complex process, there may need to be some fine tuning if an element gets misplaced.
Color Matching
Our printers use a soy ink printing Earth-friendly process, which is similar to 4-color (CMYK) but not the same. Designers typically use Pantone spot colors or their 4-color equivalent when doing design. If you look at Pantone spots and CMYK equivalents next to each other, they are different; the soy ink printing Earth-friendly process will likely be somewhat different from both. So what most designers assume will be predictable may not be so with our process. As is true when spot is converted to 4-color, some colors are very easy to match and others are not. For example, browns are particularly difficult to match. In addition, the prints we create are typically more saturated than offset printing.
Design and Color Choices
In our experience, packaging has different design considerations than collateral or traditional graphic design. Due to the different sized labels and the need for small font text, not all designs and colors will be legible or as crisp as desired. We find that contrasting solid colors and designs that allow for about 50% white background space will provide the best visual quality. For example, a pale blue design element with black text should print beautifully. Dark background and light print can work for some design elements, but we don’t recommend a dark background/light text color for areas where there will be small print, as the result may appear fuzzy. Similarly, some tone-on-tone patterns may not have the crisp texture we desire.
Contrast is especially critical when choosing colors for any areas where there will be text. Low contrast in text areas will typically produce a hard-to-read, somewhat fuzzy presentation. The instruction/ingredient area has the smallest print on the label. Leaving this area white and using dark text will give the crispest result.
If you aren’t sure whether your design will print well on your labels, you can always send us a PDF copy and our design team will take a look at it for you!
Typically the design process goes very smoothly and takes just a week or two. Occasionally however the process can take longer. If there are multiple designs (e.g. a different design for each type of product), color coding or complicated designs, we expect it will take more time to get all elements correct. We will always do our part to make the process as pleasant and efficient as possible!
We print on just 3 sizes of labels: 6 x 3, 4 x 2 and 5 x 1.
Fonts - If you choose the option to convert all standard label text to a font of your choice, you must send us fonts along with your graphics files.
Color - Our printing system may not be able to create a color match with your original design. We will work with you to choose a color that is visually pleasing and as close to the original as possible. In addition, our printing process tends to reproduce color approximately 20% darker than what you’ll see on a Pantone chart, so please adjust your files accordingly. Note that we do not have capability of producing metallic colors.
As a general rule, large areas of solid color will be more likely to show any inherent flaws in the label stock or minor inconsistencies generated in the printing process itself. This is particularly true of darker colors; lighter backgrounds tend to be more forgiving.
When preparing your files, please ensure to convert all of your used Pantone colors to CMYK process and then provide.
Borders - Cutting labels is an imprecise procedure. While our system is quite accurate, it is important to design your labels with cutting variations in mind. Borders too close to the edge or meant to follow the edge of the label may create an uneven design or be partially cut off, therefore will not be accepted.
Approval - The client must give final approval on label designs before we will go to print. Even minor adjustments may require a final review of a pdf (acceptable for formatting issues) or a hard copy (required for any color adjustments). Once the approval form is signed, we will print exactly what we have on file–we accept no responsibility for proofreading.
Proper File Formatting
- We lay out files on a Mac. Files can be created on PC and in most cases can be opened by our Mac by following the version guidelines below. Additional fees may be incurred for conversion to accepted formats if not provided as listed below.
- EPS Files (Illustrator CS2 or lower) Macintosh Standards: Convert all type to outlines and ensure that all effects are expanded.
- TIF / JPG Files (Photoshop version 8.0 or lower) Please ensure that your files are minimum 300 dpi or higher with no pixelation as a result of forcing the resolution higher from a low resolution file such as a web graphic. All files should be saved as CMYK color.
Improper File Formatting
- Adobe Photoshop: While we accept Photoshop tif / jpg files for completed logos or individual logo components, please do not use Photoshop as a layout tool, particularly with custom projects in which colors or elements are expected to be changed or modified.
- Microsoft Products: We do not accept files from any Microsoft products including Word, PowerPoint and/or Publisher.
- Adobe Illustrator: Please do not rasterize graphics in your Illustrator files or use raster filter effects to produce artwork.
- Do not place jpg files or other raster files within your Illustrator document.
- Color Modes: Please do not save as RGB color on any of your files. We are typically able to closely match your Pantone color if the number is provided to us when you send your file. CMYK files are required.
10% of our gross sales will go to support empowering women with
Learn more at our CARE Connections Page.
Learn more at our CARE Connections Page.
We are not affiliated with Preston, Preston Inc., Preston Private Label or Douglas Preston.
Copyright © My Sacred Fig 2008. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright © My Sacred Fig 2008. All Rights Reserved.
