The Journey of a Wholesale Print Order: From Design to Finished Product

Every print project for a wholesale print order requires different phases to produce an ideal final product. Some special steps may be requested by a client, but the general journey follows the same path. All steps matter, from selecting the design feature for each printed marketing material to checking the print quality based on preferences.

There are a few general steps to follow, whether you need banners or business cards. With two decades of experience in wholesale printing, ButterflyGP will guide you through the entire print order process to help you better understand it. Let’s begin this fascinating adventure.

Understanding the Wholesale Print Process 

In many sectors, such as publishing, packaging, and marketing, print production is a key factor. Print materials are still a powerful tool for reaching and interacting with audiences, even in the age of digital media. Knowing the wholesale print process is crucial to guarantee the success and quality of your printed materials, whether they are brochures, flyers, or flags.

Read More: Print Materials for Business: A Step-by-Step Guide to Choosing the Right Ones

Initial Consultation

You should begin designing as soon as you have launched your marketing campaign and determined which print materials you will require. Every item has a unique objective that influences its design project. You have the option of working with a professional design team or selecting your own design. Here are some things to think about during this stage:

• Establishing Project Goals: Decide what you want the printing process to accomplish. Make sure your goals are time-bound, relevant, quantifiable, and achievable. Remember to align your brand colour scheme with print design to preserve your brand identity.
• Material Selection: When selecting print material for your business, you must ponder its application, layout, and durability. Consider using a more durable material for business cards, for instance, as clients may keep them for a long time as a contact reference. Remember to modify the materials according to the conditions in which they will be used, such as banners in the severe Canadian climate.
• Quantity and Time Assessment: In this step, you must determine areas for improvement and comprehend print volume. The number of printers, time, and total cost of printing should all be taken into account. Assessing all the schedules will help you ensure that your print order arrives on time if you, for instance, need your products printed for a trade show.

Pre-Press Preparation

During this stage, you can make sure that the design and print finishes you select will meet your expectations. Make sure the finish and design reflect the personality of your brand.

• File Format: Choosing the right file format is the first step in getting a file ready for printing; PDF and JPEG are popular options. While JPEGs are appropriate for high-quality images, particularly when saving from programs like Photoshop, PDFs are frequently chosen for professional printing because of their capacity to preserve fonts and images. 

Read More: Preparing Your Files for Print: 5 Simple Steps to a Successful Print

• Print Proofing: This step helps you improve your design and check the compatibility of all the items with each other. Print proofing in wholesale printing entails a number of procedures, such as design approval, digital and physical proofs, and production quality checks. A thorough proofing procedure before mass publication is essential for efficiency and customer satisfaction in wholesale printing. 

Bringing Designs to Life

There are a few more steps you should take to guarantee a high-quality print product after print proofing your final design. You must take into account these three factors:

Printing Methods

• Digital Printing for Short Runs: This could be the best option if you need fewer than 1,000 copies, have a tight deadline, or need customization. It provides flexibility in making adjustments, cost-effectiveness for smaller batches, and quicker turnaround times.

• Offset Printing for High Volume: This technique is especially helpful when a project calls for extra steps like raised foil and spot UV, or when the quantity is more than 1000 units. It is appropriate for large-scale prints and other high-volume requirements due to its affordability and exceptional quality on a variety of materials.

Choose Finishes

• Cutting, Trimming, and Die-Cutting: Consider the intricacy of your design, the objectives of the project, the budget, and the level of precision you want. Die-cutting provides distinctive shapes and works well for making decorative or useful items like personalized labels, business cards, and door hangers. On the other hand, regular cutting and trimming work well for standard shapes and produce clean, simple lines.
• Binding Options: Take into account the project’s goal, page count, preferred style, and financial constraints when selecting a binding technique. For thicker, more professional-looking publications, perfect bound is best, but saddle stitch is more affordable for smaller booklets. Documents requiring lay-flat functionality can benefit from the flexibility and polished appearance of wire-O binding.

• Coating Method: The choice between laminating, varnishing, and coating is based on the intended use of the printed material, the desired look, and the available budget. Lamination offers a long-lasting layer of protection, while finishing choices like coatings and varnish improve the printed material’s appearance and texture.

Read More: What Is the Difference Between Lamination and Varnish?

• Embellishments: Consider the desired tactile effect, the appropriateness of the paper stock, and the aesthetics of your design when adding embellishments. Debossing produces recessed images, embossing produces raised images, and foiling adds a metallic sheen. Debossing works well for simple designs, while embossing is best for bold, adorned designs.

Quality Control

Several inspection phases are included in this process to guarantee that the finished product satisfies quality requirements. Verify the print quality to make sure all the materials cover the specifications. Follow these tips for high-quality and on-time shipment of your print order:

Careful Quality Checks

• In-Process Inspections for Consistency: Take notice of important aspects such as colour accuracy, registration, paper quality, and equipment maintenance to guarantee consistency in a print process through in-process inspections. Keep an eye on these factors on a regular basis, record your findings, and adjust as necessary to preserve the desired print quality. 
• Final Product Review and Approval: Pay close attention to the initial design review, content verification, technical features, and paper quality review. Check the validity of spelling and grammar, contact details, dates, schedules, pricing, and specifications one by one.

Packaging and Shipping Solutions

In this phase, it is essential to clearly define your needs, negotiate your terms, and maintain quality control to check packaging and shipping terms with a wholesale print partner. Request comprehensive details about the dimensions, packing materials, and shipping options. Check insurance policies and fragile item handling protocols. Finally, set up effective channels of communication to monitor and resolve any possible problems that may arise during the shipping process.

The Benefits of Partnering with a Professional Wholesale Printer

If you don’t choose a professional and experienced print partner, all of these technical and evaluation procedures may fail. An expert wholesale printing corporation has access to specialized equipment and knowledge of different printing techniques. So, you can trust them to produce high-quality, personalized print materials. And don’t forget that their effective operations and increased level of production will guarantee significant cost savings, particularly for large print runs. 

Ready to start your print order? You can send your quote today. Contact our print specialists and consult with the ButterflyGP team about your required print materials. Send your order, and sit back to receive the best quality print products. Let us be your companion in this adventurous journey of wholesale print orders.

Final words

Designing and choosing paper size or finishes is not easy, but these are certainly the main things you need to do for your business’s marketing objectives. No one may know your business better than you, so assess, proofread, and check every aspect of your print project. If you need wholesale print expert advice, ButterflyGP is always available to smoothly guide you on this path!