Why are these required and important?
When using our designer you'll notice there are several markings and highlighted areas. These help you to create a mail item that will look great, retain all of your important mail information, and also meet the requirements set out by postal providers in the region you're sending from/ to.
Each region has strict requirements address content and placement so this can be machine read, sorted, and delivered to the right address. We print the address details directly onto mail items and also print the postage indicia stamp directly onto non enveloped items, such as postcards.
The other markings show you borders and areas for your design content to make sure this is retained in the final printed item.
Download design guides for the different formats, on our website support page and view them in the Stannp design wizard. Click the '?' button at the top of the page for the pop up that includes dimensions.
Trim Marks
When printing we print on a larger paper and then cut it down to size. We use these guide lines to aim where to cut.
Bleed Margins
This area is aligned with the trim marks and is also cut off. Make sure background colour overflows into this margin for an edge to edge design and a great print finish. (Avoids white edges showing).
Safe Zone
Keep important text and logos inside the safe zone. This is because printers can sometimes print with a minor skew.
Make sure to keep all important information outside of the Bleed Margins to avoid this being cut off of your mail items. We recommend ensuring everything is within the Safe Zone. Check your logos, QR codes, contact details, important text (your call to action, terms and conditions etc.).
Clear Zone
We need to make sure addresses and barcodes can be machine readable by keeping these areas clear. A white overlay is set by default to make sure nothing disturbs machine reading. This can be turned off in the design settings but make sure no dark colors, images or other marking encroach on or disturb the address clarity.
Postcards
Examples below showing a 6x9 Postcard (US & CA) and an A5 Postcard (UK&I).
Letters
For letters there are also two clear zones. One for the address block and another at the bottom left for an integrity QR Code. The integrity QR code is an amazing feature to ensure your pages are printed in the correct order and enveloped into the correct envelope. This is used to ensure each mail item doesn't get mixed with another.
We recommend leaving both of these sections clear. Or else it may fail our quality control checks.
8.5x11 Letter Large Window
This format is sent in an XL window envelope and you'll notice the faint box above the safe zone to indicate the envelope window space. Great to use if you want to add your company logo, an image, a return address, or other information to be visible before it's opened.
The faint grey lines across the letter show you where the letter is folded for fitting into the #10 envelope. These are not printed on the page.
Adding a return address
Use the large window format, add a text block, write in "Return address:" followed by the address. Use a smaller font (4-6) and place it at the top corner of this shaded window area.
Download all mail format design guides including the large letter guide for the XL window envelope, from our support page, HERE
Address safe zone: White overlay
When using the Stannp designer to create your mail, we add a white overlay to the address safe zone, by default.
This can be removed in the designer address settings indicated in the image, left.
Important note about the address clear zone and white overlay.
If you choose to remove the white overlay, leaving images, text, or other design elements across the address safe zone, leaving the mail item unreadable by the regional postal providers machines, it may incur an additional cost and/ or leave these mail items undeliverable. The address visibility is the senders responsibility.
Postcards and Self-mailers: Add return address
In the address settings of postcard and self-mailers, you can also add a return address.
This will be printed in the corner of the address clear zone.