From brief to dispatch
Know what to prepare, check and approve.
Each stage produces a decision: a quotable brief, a checked file, an approval reference and a delivery plan. Keep those decisions together so the factory and your team work from the same specification.
From inquiry to aftercare
Your print order, step by step.
At each stage, see what to send, what the factory checks and which decision moves the order forward.
Send an inquiry
You provide
Product type, intended use, finished size, quantity by version, destination and required arrival date. Artwork or a reference image helps but is not required.
We do
Review the brief and identify missing decisions, such as the binding, paper surface or packing unit, before preparing a comparable quotation.
Tip: If the construction is undecided, describe how the finished item will be used. A rough sample or sketch is useful.
Quotation & options
You provide
Compare the proposed specification and quantities. Tell us which material, finish or delivery choice needs an alternative.
We do
Set out the proposed build, quantity basis, price, production schedule and delivery scope so each option can be compared on the same terms.
Tip: Compare a lower-cost option only after checking what changes: stock, construction, finish or quantity.
Prepress file check
You provide
Send the current print PDF and identify any separate foil, UV, embossing or cut paths. Use the agreed template for covers and die-cut work.
We do
Check trim and bleed, image resolution at placed size, fonts, color information, page order and production layers. Return specific corrections for approval.
Tip: A typical trimmed sheet starts with 3 mm bleed; wraps, spines, folds and holes need the project template.
Proofing & approval
You provide
State what the proof must settle—layout, paper feel, fit, color or finish—and approve a named file revision and specification.
We do
Provide an appropriate digital proof or physical sample. Free samples are prepared within 15 days; record which features the sample actually represents.
Tip: A screen PDF can confirm content and position, but cannot by itself approve tactile finish or physical color.
Production release
You provide
Confirm the approved revision, stock, quantity, payment schedule and agreed release conditions.
We do
Coordinate printing, finishing and binding or assembly against that approved specification. A later artwork or material change needs a new version decision.
Tip: Bank transfer is the payment method. The quotation sets the order-specific payment and production schedule.
Quality control
You provide
Agree any fit-critical dimensions, color reference or inspection criteria that matter to the finished product.
We do
Compare printed and finished work with the approved file and sample; check construction, surface condition, counts and packing identity.
Tip: If an AQL plan is needed, define the lot, inspection level and defect classes in the order specification.
Packing & dispatch
You provide
Confirm the destination, delivery point, transport preference and any carton-label or pallet requirements.
We do
Record units per carton, packed measurements and product-specific protection, then coordinate the agreed shipping documents and route.
Tip: Plan sample preparation, bulk production, freight and customs as separate stages; the 15-day sample period is not a delivery promise.
After-delivery support
You provide
Keep the order reference and report any issue with photos, affected quantities and carton details.
We do
Review the issue against the approved specification and order record. Confirmed printing problems can be resolved by reprinting.
Tip: For a repeat order, identify every change to artwork, material, finish, quantity or destination before the new quote.
Send a brief that can be compared.
| Input | What to include |
|---|---|
| Product and use | Book, card deck, carton, bag or another format; who handles it and where it is used |
| Size and count | Finished width × height in mm; pages, cards per deck or components per set; copies or sets by version |
| Materials and print | Paper or board choice; inside and outside print; CMYK images and any named spot colors |
| Construction and effects | Binding, folds, inserts, foil, varnish or lamination; separate effect artwork where needed |
| Sample purpose | What you want to check: content, material, fit, color or finishing |
| Delivery | Destination city/postcode, required arrival date and preferred transport method |
If a choice is undecided, state the purpose: for example, a workbook for ballpoint writing or a carton for a filled glass bottle. A use condition is more useful than an unspecified request for better paper.
Download the Excel project brief (.xlsx)Trim, bleed and safety are different boundaries.
Extend background artwork beyond the trim so a small cutting variation does not expose an unprinted edge. Keep text and critical graphics inside the agreed safe area. Bleed is extra artwork; the safe area is a content boundary.
- Export a print PDF with embedded fonts. Select PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4 according to the agreed prepress workflow and output condition.
- Check images at their placed size: around 300 PPI is a practical starting point for continuous-tone images, not a guarantee for every image or viewing distance.
- A typical trimmed sheet starts with 3 mm bleed. Spines, case wraps, folds, holes and die-cut items follow the project template instead of one universal allowance.
- Keep foil, UV, embossing and cut paths on clearly named vector layers. Supply book interiors in reading order and covers separately unless instructed otherwise.
Prepared within 15 days
Free samples. A defined approval purpose.
Free samples are available, with sample preparation completed within 15 days.
| Sample / proof | What it can check | What it cannot automatically approve |
|---|---|---|
| PDF layout proof | Text, page order, dimensions, artwork position and named effect layers | Cannot approve paper feel, finished strength or physical color from an unmanaged display |
| Paper / finish reference | Surface, stiffness, opacity and the handling of an existing finish sample | A reference is not necessarily printed with your artwork or made with your final construction |
| Unprinted structural dummy | Fit, opening, folds, component count and handling | Does not approve ink color, foil registration or printed image detail |
| Printed project sample | The materials, artwork and effects actually included in that sample | Record any different process, stock or missing effect before using it as the bulk approval reference |
Tell us whether you need to compare paper, assess construction or review printed appearance. The sample request records what will be supplied. Courier arrangements and transit time are confirmed separately.
Approve a named file revision and record the stock, finish and construction represented by the sample. If a feature is absent, give it a separate approval reference before bulk production.
Connect sample approval to inspectionProduction time and freight are separate stages.
Use the required arrival date and destination to plan backward through freight, production and approval. The 15-day sample preparation period is not a bulk-production or delivery promise.
| Record | Required detail |
|---|---|
| Carton contents | Product version, copies or sets per carton and total carton count |
| Shipping measurements | Packed length × width × height in cm; gross and net weight in kg |
| Protection | Edge, corner and surface protection; moisture measures and pallet requirements for the route |
| Delivery scope | Destination, transport method, delivery point, customs responsibilities and required documents |
Samples, payment and support in one place.
Free samples
Free samples are available, with sample preparation completed within 15 days.
Tell us whether you need to compare paper, assess construction or review printed appearance. The sample request records what will be supplied. Courier arrangements and transit time are confirmed separately.
Bank transfer
Payment is made by bank transfer (T/T). The quotation and invoice set out the payment schedule and bank instructions.
Reprinting support
If there is a problem with your order, contact us with the order reference, photographs and affected quantity. We review the issue and arrange reprinting where needed.
Identify the affected version or carton and keep representative samples so the correction and replacement specification can be agreed.
Bulk-production timing, order quantity and delivery arrangements are set out in the quotation. Sample preparation and transport are separate.
Tell us what the sample needs to prove.
Send the product type, intended use, size and quantity. For a sample request, specify whether your priority is paper feel, fit, opening, color or surface finishing.
Technical references and scope
- Adobe: print-ready PDF export
PDF/X export, color output and font handling; not a Lemon production certification.
- Adobe: print bleed
Artwork extending beyond the trim; the job template supplies actual allowances.
- ICC: display calibration
Conditions required for a managed display preview; an ordinary screen view is not a physical production reference.
- ISTA: test procedures
Distribution-specific transport testing; no claim that every Lemon shipment is ISTA-tested or certified.