Packaging templates

# Artwork release: [SKU]

Version: ____  Released by: ______  Date: ______

## Structure
- [ ] Dieline is the printer's current version, named and dated
- [ ] Dieline sits on its own layer, set to overprint, and is switched off in the output
- [ ] Panel contents match the folded reality (check a paper mock-up)
- [ ] Glue flap area kept clear of varnish and heavy ink

## Safety
- [ ] 3 mm bleed on every edge
- [ ] Nothing important within 4 mm of a fold or trim
- [ ] Text does not cross a crease unless intended

## Color
- [ ] Spot colors named exactly, no duplicates, no unused swatches
- [ ] Rich black used for large areas, not 100K
- [ ] Small text is single-color, not four-color
- [ ] Overprint set correctly on white text

## Content
- [ ] Legal name, net quantity, ingredients, allergens where required
- [ ] Manufacturer details and country of origin
- [ ] Best before or expiry format agreed with production
- [ ] Batch and date code area left clear
- [ ] Recycling and disposal marks for every market on this run
- [ ] All claims approved by whoever signs off claims

## Barcode
- [ ] Correct GTIN, verified digit
- [ ] Magnification within the agreed range for this substrate
- [ ] Quiet zones clear, bars not truncated
- [ ] Dark bars on a light background, not red, not metallic
- [ ] Test scan from a printed proof, not from screen

## Files
- [ ] Fonts outlined or embedded
- [ ]

[...]

# Packaging brief: [product]

## Product
What is inside, and how much of it:
Shelf life and storage conditions:
Fragility, weight, shape constraints:

## Where it sells
Retail / e-commerce / both:
Named retailers and their pack requirements:
Markets and languages:
Competitor packs on the same shelf:

## Shopper
Who buys it and what triggers the purchase:
What they are comparing it against:
What has to be readable from one metre away:

## Structure
Pack format:                  Primary / secondary / tertiary:
Dieline source:               Board and thickness:
Closure type:                 Tamper evidence needed:
Does it ship alone without an outer box:

## Must appear on pack
Brand, variant, claims, legal text, certifications:
Barcode type and who supplies the GTIN:
Date coding and batch marking:

## Sustainability
Material target:              Recyclability target:
Empty space target (under 40%):
Anything the retailer mandates:

## Volumes and cost
First run quantity:           Annual estimate:
Cost per unit target:         Tooling budget:

## Timings
Artwork due:                  Proof due:
Print date:                   On shelf:

## Approvals
Design: ______ Marketing: ______ Legal: ______ Production: ______

SKU,Product name,Variant,Pack format,Internal L (mm),Internal W (mm),Internal H (mm),Board / material,Thickness (mm),Dieline ref,Finish,Spot colors,Barcode type,GTIN,Barcode magnification %,Bleed (mm),Units per carton,Carton L (mm),Carton W (mm),Carton H (mm),Pallet qty,Printer,Quote ref,Last artwork version,Approved by,Date
EXAMPLE-01,Cold Brew,Original,Reverse tuck end,60,30,120,FBB 350gsm,0.4,DL-0421,Matt lam + spot UV,Pantone 021 C,EAN-13,8901234567890,100,3,24,380,260,250,40,Acme Print,Q-1183,v4,RK,2026-09-20