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Print glossary — the terms on your quote, explained

From bleed and blockout to SEG, PUR and Smyth sewn: short, plain definitions with links to the product or guide where each one matters.

Print glossary — 62 terms

Aqueous coating: A fast-drying, water-based clear coat applied on press for scuff resistance and a gloss, satin or matte look. Cheaper than UV or lamination. Learn more →
Bleed: Artwork extended 0.125" (0.25" on large format) past the trim line so no white edge shows after cutting. Learn more →
Blockout: An opaque core layer in 18oz vinyl that stops light passing through — required for double-sided banners. Learn more →
BOPP: Biaxially oriented polypropylene — a waterproof, tear-resistant label film in white, clear or silver. Learn more →
Caliper: Paper thickness in thousandths of an inch (points). 14 pt ≈ 0.014" ≈ 350 gsm. Learn more →
Case binding: Hardcover binding: sewn or glued text block set into rigid boards wrapped in cloth or printed paper. Learn more →
CMYK: Cyan, magenta, yellow and black — the four process inks that build full-colour printing. Learn more →
Coated (C): Paper with a clay surface (gloss, silk, matte) that keeps ink on top for sharp, saturated colour. Pantone 'C' references are for coated stock.
Colorplan: GF Smith's through-dyed uncoated board in 55 colours and weights to 700 gsm — the luxury stock for letterpress, foil and duplexing. Learn more →
Creep: The outward push of inner pages in a saddle-stitched booklet; compensated by shifting margins page by page. Learn more →
Deboss: An impression pressed into the paper (down). Emboss is raised (up). 'Blind' means no ink or foil in the impression. Learn more →
Die-cut: Cutting a custom shape with a steel-rule or laser die — labels, folders, hangers, shaped cards. Learn more →
Dieline: The vector outline of cuts, folds and perforations, supplied on its own spot-colour layer set to overprint.
DPI / PPI: Dots (pixels) per inch — image resolution at final print size. 300 for close viewing, 100–150 for banners. Learn more →
Duplex: Two sheets glued back to back to make one thick card — often two different colours, showing a coloured edge. Learn more →
Dye sublimation: Printing dye onto transfer paper and heat-pressing it into polyester fabric — the process behind fabric banners and SEG. Learn more →
EDDM: Every Door Direct Mail — USPS bulk postcard program by carrier route with no mailing list required.
Edge painting: Colouring the cut edge of thick cards with a Pantone ink, gilt or foil.
Emboss: Raising part of the sheet with a male/female die for a sculpted logo or pattern.
Foil stamping: Pressing metallic or pigment foil onto paper with a heated die — real gold, copper, silver or holographic finishes. Learn more →
Gang run: Printing several jobs on one sheet to share cost — the economics behind trade printing.
Grommet: A metal eyelet set in a banner hem for rope, bungee or zip-tie mounting; standard spacing every 2 ft. Learn more →
GSM: Grams per square metre — the international paper weight. 350 gsm ≈ 14 pt cover. Learn more →
Hem: A folded, sewn or welded edge on a banner that doubles its strength and holds grommets.
Imposition: Arranging pages on the press sheet so they fall in order after folding and trimming.
Keder: The silicone or PVC bead sewn to a fabric graphic that presses into an SEG frame groove. Learn more →
Kiss cut: Cutting through the label face only, leaving the backing intact — how sticker sheets and roll labels peel.
Kraft: Unbleached brown paper; in labels, a recycled uncoated stock with a natural, handmade look. Learn more →
Lamination: Bonding a plastic film (gloss, matte, soft-touch) to the sheet for durability and feel.
Letterpress: Relief printing that presses an inked plate into soft paper for a tactile impression; best in one Pantone colour. Learn more →
Mesh banner: Perforated 70/30 vinyl that lets ~30% of wind through — for fences, scaffolding and open sites. Learn more →
Overprint: Printing one ink on top of another instead of knocking it out — required for dielines and spot-finish layers.
Pantone (PMS): The Pantone Matching System of numbered spot-colour inks mixed to formula for exact, repeatable colour. Learn more →
Perfect binding: Softcover binding where page edges are milled and glued (PUR or EVA) into a wrap-around cover with a square spine. Learn more →
Pole pocket: A sewn sleeve at the top and/or bottom of a banner for a rod or pole; 2" fits a 1" pole, 3" fits 1.5".
Preflight: Checking a file for fonts, resolution, colour mode, bleed and layout problems before it goes to press — Kolt does it free on every order. Learn more →
Proof: A PDF (soft proof) or printed sample (hard proof) you approve before production; approval starts the clock.
PUR: Polyurethane reactive glue — the strongest, most flexible perfect-binding adhesive; lays flatter than EVA.
Registration: Alignment of multiple colours or passes to each other; letterpress tolerance is about 1/64".
RGB: Red, green, blue — the light-based colour model of screens. Must be converted to CMYK or Pantone for print. Learn more →
Rich black: Black built with CMY under the K (C60 M40 Y40 K100) for a deep, even solid. Never use it for small type.
Saddle stitch: Folded sheets nested and stapled through the spine — booklets up to roughly 64–92 pages. Learn more →
Safe zone: The area 0.125" (1" on banners) inside the trim where all text and logos must stay. Learn more →
Scrim: The polyester mesh reinforcing inside vinyl banner material that gives it tear strength.
SEG: Silicone edge graphics — fabric prints with a silicone bead that snap into a slim aluminum frame, lit or unlit. Learn more →
Self cover: A booklet whose cover is the same paper as the inside pages; 'plus cover' uses a heavier cover stock.
Silk / satin: A coated paper finish between gloss and matte — low glare, good colour, the default for brochures.
Smyth sewn: Signatures sewn through the fold and to each other — the most durable book binding, lies flat. Learn more →
Soft-touch: A velvety matte lamination; luxurious but fingerprint-prone on dark colours.
Spine: The bound edge of a book; its width depends on page count and paper caliper. Learn more →
Spot colour: A single pre-mixed ink (usually Pantone) printed as its own plate rather than built from CMYK. Learn more →
Spot UV: Glossy UV varnish applied only to selected areas for contrast against a matte sheet.
Step and repeat: A backdrop with logos repeated in a grid for event photography — printed on glare-free fabric. Learn more →
Tension fabric: Stretch polyester finished as a pillowcase or with a silicone edge to fit a frame drum-tight. Learn more →
Trim size: The final cut size of the printed piece.
Turnaround: Production time in business days from proof approval to shipping; excludes transit. Learn more →
Uncoated (U): Paper with no clay coating — absorbs ink, softer colour, writable. Pantone 'U' references apply.
Unwind direction: Which edge of a roll label comes off first — matters for automatic label applicators.
UV coating: A liquid coating cured instantly with ultraviolet light for a high-gloss, hard finish.
Variable data: Printing where text or images change per piece — names, numbers, QR codes — from a spreadsheet.
White ink: Opaque white printed as a spot layer, under colours on dark or clear stock or alone for text on black. Learn more →
Wind slits: Half-moon cuts sometimes made in solid banners to relieve wind — they weaken the banner; use mesh instead.

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