What is bleed in printing?
Bleed is extra artwork that extends past the final edge of a print piece, so no white sliver shows after the paper is cut.
Printers print on larger sheets and then cut them down. Cutting is never perfectly exact, so if a background color or photo stops right at the edge, a thin white line can appear. Bleed solves this by extending the design a little beyond the final size, often about an eighth of an inch in the US. Always check your printer's exact bleed requirement before sending files.
Why it matters for your business: Correct bleed prevents uneven white edges on business cards, flyers and signs, and avoids costly reprints.
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