Artwork:

We request camera ready art and will resize it appropriately, or will follow your instructions, if given. We have a large selection of clipart. If what you need is not available, we have a cutting-edge art department and can assist you in creating custom art from photographs, business cards, brochures, etc. If you need our extra design assistance creating artwork, it is available at a reasonable charge. Artwork isn’t limited to logos only. Sketch out a diagram of how you want the item to look. Remember that type can be placed on an arc, at angles, placed on either side of clip art, italicized, etc., to create a well balanced design. Use additional paper to sketch your designs and layouts. We reserve the right to determine what constitutes camera-ready vector art or high-resolution digital art. Digital proofs are sent via email for all new orders and reorders.

Call our customer service representatives if you have questions concerning art at 1-800-932-9933. We’re happy to help! You can also email us your artwork to the address below.

Art email: customerservice@americancabin.com

Acceptable Digital Art:

1. We use digital vector (line art) files from these vector drawing programs: Corel Draw – (.cdr) files (versions 3 through 2017). Adobe Illustrator – (.ai) or (.eps) (versions 3 through CC 2018). *All .eps files need to be saved as “vector” or “editable” .eps formats from vector programs; not to be confused with a raster .eps from Photoshop or paint programs.
2. All vector art containing fonts MUST BE CONVERTED TO CURVES OR OUTLINES.
3. We accept monochrome (1 color-black) bitmap image files such as: .tif, .bmp, and .jpg. They must be high-resolution (600ppi or greater) and BLACK ONLY.

*Emailed artwork can be sent to: customerservice@americancabin.com. Please reference all pertinent information: company name, phone & fax numbers, and PO#. Also please name your artwork by PO# to help us match files.

Unacceptable Digital Art:

1. Web graphics (rgb 72ppi .jpgs are low-resolution raster).
2. Vector graphics without the fonts converted to curves or outlines.

Clip Art: Clip art images are available. Digital proof required.

Typesetting: We will typeset 5 lines of text or 75 characters free of charge on orders over $200. For orders under $200, an hourly art charge will apply at $50 per hour with a minimum charge of ½ hour. Please choose one of the fonts available. Written approval may be required. Digital proof is required.

Art Charge: We realize customers may not always have digital ready art and will make our Art Department available at $50 per hour, with a minimum charge of ½ hour. We will quote before any art is done and an approval may be required. Digital proof required.

Art Work Retrieval Fee: To retrieve and forward a digital copy of artwork from current or past orders there will be an artwork retrieval fee of $30.

Trademarks: All copy/art submitted by the customer will be accepted by the factory as being submitted in full compliance with all applicable laws regarding trademark, licensing, copyright, right of privacy, patent, or similar protection. Factory will be held harmless from all claims and cost arising from these issues. Trademarked, licensed, and copyrighted logos contained in this catalog are not for sale. They are for the illustration of printing capabilities only and do not represent endorsement from their respective owners. By placing an order, customer understands that overruns may be used for digital or print media illustrating factory’s printing capability.

Printing Characteristics:

Screen Printing: Screen Printing is the process for smaller quantities and the best quality image. Screened images are very sharp and crisp with good ink opacity, and even the ability to over print multiple colors to solve registration issues in some art. One disadvantage is that multiple colors must be printed and re-registered one at a time, making it costly, and is limited to one side only on cups. Multi-color registration may have a variation of approximately ⅛”.

Pad Printing: Pad Printing is a printing method which uses a silicon pad to pick up ink from a plate and transfer the ink directly onto the item being printed. This printing method is best suited for unusually-shaped items, imprints with fine detail, and halftones. Disadvantages of this printing method are the limited imprint area, ink opacity, and subtle tonal changes in the imprint on large solid areas. Due to the thin ink transfer and limited ink opacity, it is not recommended to print on dark substrates without first putting a white base down. This adds an additional color charge to the cost of the item being printed. On most of our items we are limited to 5 colors of imprint.

4-Color Process: Best for Photo or special effect reproduction. Process printing allows for less than full saturation of the primary colors; tiny dots (halftones) of each primary color are printed in a pattern small enough that it is perceived as a solid color. With half toning, a full continuous range of colors can be produced. Colors may not match exactly if you attempt to print spot color artwork as a CMYK job. We will simply change the colors to a CMYK equivalent in your original files. Keep in mind that spot colors will not convert exactly and may not match material that you’ve previously printed as spot color. It should be noted that the color created by 4-color process printing are not solid colors at all, but rather a series of dots. This is most noticeable in the photographs reproduced in your local newspaper. Four-color reproduction can utilize either vector-based or pixel-based versions of your artwork (as long as the image has adequate resolution). It’s recommended that your digital files are no lower than 300ppi (absolutely not from the internet).

Pros of 4-Color Process: Unlimited colors & color choices and special effect friendly (drop shadows, glows, and gradients).

Cons of 4-Color Process: Degraded color matching ability, loss of solid color integrity, gradients & tints only fade to 20%, and a loss of sharpness in photos or illustration quality.

Emboss & Deboss: Embossing and debossing are printing methods which use heat and pressure to create a raised or recessed image into the product. This printing method is best suited for bold imprints without fine detail, halftones, nor reversed images. These imprint methods are available on all napkins. However please be aware that the image is not as crisp on the Almost Linen Napkins due to the thickness of the product.

Hot Stamping: Hot stamping is a printing method which uses heat and pressure to transfer a foil to the item being imprinted. Due to the softness of the napkin/coaster, a certain amount of bleeding and fill-in will occur with fine detail/reversed-out images. Logos with fine detail/reversed-out images are recommended to be screen printed. Please note that since foil is stamped on the napkin/coaster, large solid areas may flake during use. Halftone images are not able to be hot stamped. Foil color swatches available further down on this page.

Printing Disclaimers:

Maximum Imprint Area: This is listed for each item. We recommend staying 20% under this area. Unless specified, we will enlarge or reduce your image to fit within these areas. Artwork is enlarged and reduced proportionally by both width and height. Therefore, if you request maximum imprint area, only one of the dimensions may be the maximum as stated in the catalog.

Wrap Imprints: Wrap imprints are available, however a complete wrap is unfeasible. There will be a gap of approx. ¾” on screen-printed cups and approximately ½” on digital-printed cups.

Halftones & Screen Tints: Halftones will not appear as smooth on printed products as they appear on a computer screen or printout unless the output device is set to print tints at 55 LPI (for screen-printed napkins), 65 LPI (for screen-printed cups), or 90 LPI (for pad-printed and process-printed items). (See graphic example below.) Tints below 20% at 65 LPI cannot be achieved and tints over 80% at 65 LPI will appear solid. Due to the coarseness of the halftones, our factory recommends that images be given a solid outline. (See graphic example below.)

Thin Lines: Our factory recommends you use 1pt line or thicker. Reversed-out lines require 2pts or thicker. (See graphic example below.) If recommendations are not followed, our factory can not be held responsible for the outcome.