What is a dieline, and why your printer keeps asking for one
If you've ever sent artwork to a packaging printer, you've probably been asked for it "on the dieline." Here's what that actually means — and why it matters.
The blueprint for a flat box
A dieline is the flat, unfolded outline of your box before it's cut and creased. Think of it like a schematic: it tells the machine exactly where to cut (solid lines), where to fold (dashed lines), and where to lay glue (shaded tabs).
If you write code, a dieline is your layout file and your CSS box model rolled into one — it defines the geometry your content has to flow into. Your artwork is the content; the dieline is the container it must fit.
Why artwork "on the dieline" matters
When you design directly on the dieline, three things go right:
- Nothing important lands on a fold. Logos and text stay clear of crease lines that would bend them.
- Bleed is correct. Colour and images extend past the cut line, so there are no white edges after trimming.
- Panels line up. The front panel art meets the side panel art exactly where the box folds.
Skip the dieline and you get logos creased down the middle, text disappearing around a corner, and white slivers on the edges.
What to supply
- Vector artwork (PDF, AI or EPS) placed on the dieline layer we provide.
- Fonts outlined, or supplied with the file.
- At least 3 mm of bleed past every cut edge.
- Text kept 3–4 mm inside fold and cut lines (the "safe zone").
You don't have to start from scratch
For every box style we make, we can send you the dieline as a template. Drop your design onto it, export a PDF, and we'll check it's print-ready before anything goes on press — for free. That check catches the fold-and-bleed problems above before they cost you a reprint.