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How Old Are Your Carbonless Forms?


Did you know that carbonless paper ages? If you've ever used a carbonless form that doesn't print very dark on the second or third sheets, the problem is most likely caused by old paper that contains dried-out micro ink capsules. You'd be interested to know that some of our competitors buy "old" carbonless paper on sale to lower their costs. We never do. We only purchase fresh carbonless paper!

Carbonless Form Production and Design Tips:

  1. Give yourself 1/2" of white space at the top of any carbonless form. Occasionally, the padding compound that printers use will bleed down from the padding edge and cause the top 1/8" of the paper to wrinkle slightly. White space makes it very hard to notice the wrinkling.

  2. Just because carbonless forms are practical doesn't mean they have to be boring. Experiment with bold graphics to add pizzazz to your next project. In addition, two colors of ink can make a dramatic improvement in the appearance of carbonless forms, most of which are printed in black ink.

  3. Since many carbonless business forms are saved or filed for record keeping, why not consider designing the form so it includes three-hole drilling on the left side for those who want to archive their forms in three-ring binders?

  4. Consider shrink-wrapping the finished carbonless forms. They'll look nicer and actually last longer.

Getting it Printed

by Mark Beach and Eric Kenly

Thousands of graphic arts professionals rely on Getting It Printed every day. Faculty in 100 colleges use it as a textbook that explains both the business and technical aspects of the industry. It is recommended by the PIA, NAPL, and other major printing industry trade associations. Now revised and updated for today's technology, Getting It Printed covers its topic in a clear, jargon-free way, with tips and advice from industry experts, checklists, and helpful illustrations.