What Is a Full-Bleed Business Card?

Bleed

"Bleed" refers to the use of ink on the print surface. When the ink extends to the edge of the surface on all sides of a document it is called a full bleed. Full bleeds are available in all colors, but not all printers have the same ranges in ink colors. Smaller printers may not be able to get your bleed color to an exact match of your corporate-identity colors. Never rely on an electronic proof to determine whether your bleed color is correct.

Business-card designs that encompass the entire surface of the card will require a full bleed. The full bleed extends to the edge of the business card on all four sides. If you opt not to have a full bleed, your design will have a small white border around the edge of your card. This can be unattractive, especially with business-card designs that require one side to have one full color. To avoid the white border, you can revise your design layout to avoid the white border or pay an additional amount for a full bleed. Ask the printer for a physical proof to see both options before placing your order.

A full bleed costs more because more paper is required to print the cards. You may order three-by-five-inch business cards, but an additional 1/8-inch to ¼-inch is required to produce a full bleed. When cards are printed in large quantities, this additional paper can become costly for the printer. Cards that don't require additional bleeds, such as black-and-white business cards, can be considerably less expensive since less paper is used.

In order to ensure your document is correctly set up within the bleed margins, request a template from the printer or enlist the services of a professional. Graphic artists and designers can help you make adjustments to your business-card layout so that it matches the requirements of the printer. Your business card will appear unprofessional if the bleed margins are too large and text runs off the edge of the business card. Also, you may pay for full bleed but still see a white border around the edge of your card if the document is set up incorrectly.