CMYK Color Tips So Your Custom Packaging Matches the Brand

Packaging is printed in process color: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. A logo that looks perfect on a backlit screen can shift once it is ink on board. A short setup before the proof saves a whole run of boxes that are “close, but not the brand.”

Build files for print, not for a slide

Supply vector logos and type, or images at print resolution, in CMYK. Leave a margin so trim and fold lines do not cut through a word. Outlines and dielines should sit on their own layer so they are not printed. If the design uses a photograph, check the dark areas: heavy ink on kraft or corrugated can look muddy unless the image is adjusted for that board.

Name the colors that must not drift

Most of a design can stay in CMYK. A brand red, a metallic, or a white ink on a dark wrap should be called out as a spot. White ink is what lets color sit cleanly on kraft. Without it, the board tone shows through and the print looks tea-stained. Soft-touch and gloss coatings also change how a color reads, so approve the finish on the same proof as the art.

Approve a proof on the real board

A PDF on your monitor is a guide. The decision that matters is the printed proof on the board you will order: cardboard, kraft, corrugated, or a rigid wrap. Look at it in daylight and under shop lighting. Small type, barcodes, and the inside print are easy to miss on a screen and obvious on a finished box.

Send the dieline and the brand notes with your quote request. If you are still choosing a structure, start with all products.