Introduction
A red packet template is not a design idea and not a finished artwork. It is the document you set up before drawing: the finished size, the die-line, the seam and flap allowances, the bleed, and one layer per production process. Get that structure right and any design fits inside it.
This page is the specification, usable without asking for a file first: the three finished sizes, what the die-line adds beyond them, the seam and flap allowances, the layer structure, and the faults that send artwork back.
Figures below match our red packet size page and the red packet printing page.
What Size Should a Red Packet Template Be?
A red packet template should be built at one of three finished sizes: 80 × 170 mm portrait, 158 × 80 mm landscape, or 90 × 90 mm square.
| Format | Finished size (W × H) | Opens on | Template orientation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | 80 × 170 mm | Short edge | Tall canvas, flap at the top |
| Landscape | 158 × 80 mm | Long edge | Wide canvas, flap on the long edge |
| Square | 90 × 90 mm | No dominant edge | Square canvas, centred composition |
Those are outer, finished sizes of the glued packet. The artwork canvas is the die-line, which includes the flap and glue areas and is therefore larger; build on the die-line, not the finished size, or the flap will have no artwork. Sizes are written width × height — a packet described as 80 × 170 is tall, and writing it as 170 × 80 turns the layout sideways.
What Is on a Red Packet Die-Line?
The die-line is the drawing that defines every cut, fold and glue position. Five elements appear on it.
| Element | What it defines | Why artwork depends on it |
|---|---|---|
| Finished outline | The outer edge of the glued packet | It is the trim, and bleed runs outside it |
| Flap | The closing tab, and its score line | Artwork has to continue across the fold |
| Score lines | Where the packet folds | Heavy ink or foil over a score can crack |
| Side seams | The glued strips that form the pocket | Artwork must stay clear of the glue |
| Mouth | The opening inside the flap | Sets the usable inner height |
| Bleed boundary | The limit of printed area beyond trim | Trimming tolerance must never expose white |
In practice the die-line is supplied rather than drawn. We issue one for the chosen format, and it should be approved before artwork is pushed through, because a die-line change after approval means redrawing, not resizing.
How Much Space Do Seams and Flap Take?
The finished size is an outside measurement. Every packet loses a few millimetres inside, and artwork that ignores this prints onto the glue.
| Measurement | Rule | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Inner width | Finished width less 2–2.5 mm per side seam | About 4–5 mm narrower overall |
| Inner height | Finished height less 3–4 mm for the top mouth | About 3–4 mm shorter |
| Design allowance | Keep artwork 2–3 mm inside the inner pocket | Absorbs print and fold drift |
| Bleed | 2–3 mm beyond the trim on every edge | Prevents white slivers at the cut |
| Die-cut tolerance | ±1–2 mm | Allow extra margin on tight layouts |
| Seam tolerance | ±0.5–1 mm | Accumulates across the two seams |
Treat the die-line's seam zones as no-content areas: a logo across a glue strip shows a light streak, and a pattern that stops at the finished outline leaves a white edge after trimming.
How Should the Document Be Set Up?
The setup sequence is the same for all three formats.
| Step | Setting | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canvas | The supplied die-line bounding box, at 1:1 scale |
| 2 | Colour mode | CMYK from the start, not converted later |
| 3 | Resolution | 300 dpi at final size for any raster element |
| 4 | Bleed | 2–3 mm beyond every trimmed edge |
| 5 | Type | Converted to outlines, or fonts embedded |
| 6 | Logo | High-resolution vector, not a bitmap |
| 7 | Layers | One layer per production process (next section) |
| 8 | Export | PDF, AI or PSD, with the die-line retained |
The two failures this prevents are cheapest to avoid and most expensive to fix: RGB artwork shifts on conversion, and unoutlined type reflows on a machine without the font. Both appear in the first proof.
Which Layers Should Be Separate?
Finishing is a separate pass, so it needs a separate layer. Five layers cover a standard job.
| Layer | Contents | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Artwork | The CMYK design | The only layer that prints in four colour |
| Foil | Elements to be foil stamped, as 100% solid shapes | Line weight has a minimum, and foil needs clearance from surrounding art |
| Emboss or deboss | Areas to be raised or recessed | Blind emboss needs no colour artwork at all |
| Spot UV | Areas to be glossed | Keep inside the trim, never on the cut edge |
| Die-line | Cut, score and glue lines | A guide only, not printed; keep it on its own layer |
Foil and spot UV fail checks most often. Foil linework narrower than roughly 0.2 mm breaks up on press, and foil needs about 1 mm clearance from other art. Spot UV against a trimmed edge chips, so it must sit inside the trim.
What Goes on Each Panel?
A template is also a content map. Four panels accept content, and each has a different job.
| Panel | Content | Constraint |
|---|---|---|
| Front | Main motif, brand mark, greeting | Keep the mark inside the safe area, clear of seams |
| Back | Small print, brand information, QR code | Needs legible small type; avoid hairlines |
| Flap | Closure tab, secondary mark | Artwork must cross the score without heavy coverage |
| Inner | Message or campaign line | Only present if inner printing is ordered |
Decide inner printing before the template is finalised: it changes which panels carry artwork, and retrofitting it means a second proof.
Why Do Templates Get Rejected?
The same seven faults account for most artwork rejections.
| Fault | What the press sees | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Artwork built on the finished size | Flap has no artwork, die does not align | Build on the die-line |
| No bleed | White edge after trimming | Add 2–3 mm |
| RGB files | Colour shifts on conversion | Set CMYK at document creation |
| Text not outlined | Font substitution changes line breaks | Outline or embed |
| Bitmap logo | Soft edges under foil or emboss | Supply vector artwork |
| Foil detail too fine | Film breaks up at the edges | Thicken or simplify |
| Spot UV at the trim | Chipping along the cut | Pull the effect inside |
A proof is the last point where these are cheap; after approval they become a rerun.
Can One Template Cover Several Campaigns?
Yes, and it is the usual way to control cost across a year. One approved die-line and one layer structure can carry several versions.
| Version | What changes | What stays fixed |
|---|---|---|
| Festival edition | Motif, greeting, foil shape | Format, die-line, layer structure |
| Wedding edition | Palette, names, insert | Format, die-line, inner panel |
| Corporate edition | Logo position, brand colourway | Format, die-line, finish positions |
| Retail promotional | Campaign artwork, window or tear-off | Format and die, if the features are planned in |
The reusable part is the structure, not the drawing: the same die-line lets artwork be proofed once and then adapted.
Conclusion
A red packet template comes down to six settings: the finished size, the die-line for that format, the seam and flap allowances, the bleed, the colour mode, and one layer per finishing process. Everything else is the design itself.
If you are briefing a designer, send the format and ask for the die-line before drawing starts. For the background on what the product is and where it is used, see red packets explained; the custom red packet product range covers formats and finishes. For a specification on your own format, the quote request form is the shortest route.