Business card sizes. Standard business card formats. What is the standard business card format? Business card size in millimeters
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From this article you will learn
- What is the standard business card size
- What size to choose for printing business cards
- What are the requirements for layouts for printing business cards?
- Why take into account flares and flares when printing business cards?
An important attribute of a modern business person is a business card. When ordering it, special attention should be paid to choosing its size. It will only be able to fully fulfill its purpose when it can be easily found at the right moment. Usually people store received business cards in special bookkeepers with transparent cells or in the credit card compartment of their wallet. In both those and others, the cells for cards have certain sizes that correspond to accepted templates. What are these standards and what should be the size of a business card for printing, you will learn from this article.
Standard business card size for printing
A business card is one of the components of its owner’s image, so his desire to make the card original is understandable. However, even the most creative person needs to follow some size traditions. So, in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine there is a standard size for a rectangular business card: 50×90 mm (5×9 cm). Currently, layouts for printing them are usually performed on a computer in one of many graphic applications, for example, Illustrator or Photoshop.
Standard size business card in the mentioned applications is:
in inches – 1.97×3.54 inches (Illustrator);
in pixels, at a resolution of 72 ppi – 142×255 pixels (Illustrator);
in pixels, at a resolution of 300 ppi – 591×1063 pixels (Photoshop).
Maintaining these sizes of business cards for printing allows you to minimize paper waste during their production.
If we take printing paper standards as a basis, in particular, ISO or DIN standard formats, then the closest formats to the mentioned size of business cards will be A8 (52x74 mm) and C8 (57x81 mm). However, such sizes are now increasingly used for business cards. The reason for this is most likely the inconvenience of storing them.
Thus, it is desirable that the business card measures 50 mm in height and 90 mm in width. At the same time, women are allowed to have cards slightly smaller - 40x80 mm, which corresponds to the size of business cards that existed back in the days of the Soviet Union.
Abroad, business cards are made in smaller sizes. When producing them, they are often guided by the ISO 7810 ID-1 standard, which regulates the production of plastic cards, driver's licenses and identity cards.
In accordance with this standard, the card dimensions are 85.6x53.98 mm. Manufacturers of accessories in creating the most popular models of purses, purses and wallets, use this format when determining the size of pockets for storing credit and discount cards.
It is also rare to find business cards abroad in sizes that meet the printing standards of A8 (defined by ISO as 1/16 A4, which is 74x52 mm or 2.913x2.047 inches) or C8 (according to DIN is 1/16 C4 , which is equal to 81×57 mm).
In European countries, the most popular business card size for printing is 85x55 mm. And in the USA, cards measuring 3½x2 inches (88.9x50.8 mm) are often found.
In Japan, business cards are slightly larger - 91x55 mm. If you are going to visit this country, take business cards with these dimensions. For the Japanese, size is very important in this regard.
In Europe, only Germany pays attention to the size of a business card. The Germans react painfully if the card does not fit well in the cell.
In other EU countries this is easier.
For example, in Italy business cards in the form of booklets are now fashionable.
And in England, narrow and long business cards are often found.
Not long ago, original business cards of non-standard sizes appeared with a magnetic strip designed to attach them to metal surfaces. Such cards can be attached to the refrigerator or computer. They will hang in a prominent place and contain useful advertising information.
Such business cards are effective for representatives of the service industry, for example, for a repairman household appliances, taxi driver or computer assistance specialist.
For those who need a business card solely to advertise the services they provide, we can recommend making it a little longer than the standard. This will make it stand out from the pile on the table or in the box. It will be easier to find it among other similar ones. However, the main thing here is not to overdo it!
How to choose the size of a business card to print
When choosing the size of a business card, we will focus on its purpose. There are executive, business, personal and corporate business cards.
It is advisable for any person doing business to have their own business card. It should have the shape of a rectangle with dimensions suitable for the size of a standard bookcase (in Russia it is 50x90 mm). At the same time, the business card should be stylishly designed. It is desirable that it is somehow different from others. Thus, we can recommend not experimenting with the format and size of the card, but rather “playing” with colors, background and font, and pictures.
For example, one way to show originality in card design would be to replace the standard horizontal orientation with a vertical one. In this case, you should take into account the peculiarity of placing contact information on a short line.
Requirements for the size of a business card in the layout
As already noted, preparing a layout for printing business cards is currently done on a computer in one of the many graphics applications. The sample is a file completely prepared for printing.
Files are transferred from computer to computer using standard methods (USB Flash cards, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-R W, email).
File formats can be of the following types:
*.cdr (Corel Draw);
*.ai, *.eps ( Adobe Illustrator);
*.tiff (Adobe Photoshop);
*.pdf (Adobe Acrobat).
Depending on the application used to prepare the layout, requirements for ready-made samples, on which the beauty of your business card depends. Below are the basic rules for preparing layouts in the most popular graphics programs: Corel Draw, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator.
Corel Draw
Business cards should be arranged in the file page by page: each card on its own sheet. If the business card is double-sided, the “face” should be placed on the first page, and the back side on the second.
The page size is set to the business card size.
Text should be placed no closer than 4 mm to the trimmed format. Thus, for a card measuring 90x50 mm, all information needs to be placed in a rectangle measuring 82x42 mm.
Fonts need to be converted to curves. To do this, first completely ungroup all elements (Ctrl + U), then redraw (using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Q).
The logo and other brand marks must be drawn in vector mode.
All raster images included in the business card layout must have a resolution of 300 dpi, and all special effects should be converted to raster graphics (BitMaps → Convert to Bitmap – 300 dpi CMYK).
Adobe Illustrator
The file extension must be *.eps.
Each card (or its side) is made in a separate file with a transparent frame equal in size to the dimensions of the business card.
All text information should be placed no closer than 4 mm to the edge.
All “overhang” elements must protrude beyond the cut boundaries by 2 mm or more.
Fonts must be converted to curves (Type → Create Outlines).
The brand name and company logo are depicted using vector graphics.
Where transparency was used in the layout, all parts of it need to be converted to one layer of the CMYK color model.
Photoshop
Unlike the two programs already described that specialize in vector graphics, Photoshop is designed to work with raster graphics.
The image should be the size of a business card, including full-length margins. The “overhang” margins provide for at least 4 mm.
Information on the layout is placed no closer than 4 mm to the trimmed format.
Layout made in Photoshop program, should not have additional paths and layers, crop marks.
When creating a sample, keep in mind that a raster of less than 5% will not be noticeable when printing, and accordingly, lines less than 0.03 mm thick will not be printed. In general, we recommend using lines with a thickness of 0.2 mm or more.
Black text should be printed in one black ink (100% K). And large headings and large black areas are used in composite black (50% C, 40% M, 40% Y, 100% K).
When creating a business card layout, it is recommended to use one of two color models– CMYK or Grayscale. Remember also about the greatest total colorfulness, a characteristic defined as the sum of: % Cyan + % Magenta + % Yellow + % Black. When printing on coated paper, its value should be 320%, and on uncoated paper - 280%.
If the layout provides additional requirements for some (indexed) colors, then the color should be indicated according to the Panton Process palette, and its content (in %) in the CMYK model.
To ensure consistent color quality when printing different complex images, it is advisable to attach a color profile to the layout.
Why do you need to take into account overhangs and inflows when choosing the size of a business card to print?
It’s not enough to print a business card well; you also need to cut it evenly. Both largely depend on how the layout is made. Any equipment has its own limit of accuracy. Even minor cutting errors can cause the card to look sloppy. Using “flights” and “flights” when creating layouts allows you to avoid these shortcomings.
In printing houses, “overshoots” and “overshoots” are called allowances for the trimming format, which must be created when the cutting line does not pass along the empty field of unprinted paper, but along the picture.
For a standard business card (90x50 mm), as a rule, the overhangs are 2 mm on each side, and the overhangs are 5 mm, respectively:
overhangs of 5 mm - mean that we must step back from the edge of the business card (inward) 5 mm on each side;
overhangs of 2 mm mean that we must add 2 mm to the file on each side (make allowances).
Create a file with a page size of 94x54 mm (including overhangs) and set:
horizontal guides for 2 mm, 7 mm, 87 mm, 92 mm;
vertical guides for 2 mm, 7 mm, 47 mm, 52 mm.
In the image below, the dark frame is part of the program’s working field (in which we create the business card layout), which is not any element of the layout. The white rectangle is the document we created (94x54 mm), which will later become a business card layout.
We place the text, logo and other information in the inner rectangle formed by the guides. Anything that crosses these guides is considered background. He must go to the edge of the working field. TO in the background may belong to photos, dies, etc.
If the overhangs are not left, then after inaccurate cutting, stripes of unprinted paper may form along the edges of the sheet, with different widths in different parts of it. This creates the effect of an oblique cut. In addition, these areas will be of different sizes on each side, which will enhance the impression of sloppiness.
If we don’t provide for intrusions, then we risk that when trimming, some of the important information will fall under the knife.
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Business cards are cards with important information. They are drawn up in a generally accepted form, for example in the form of a plastic card. They are considered a business tool for a person who cares about his reputation. They have become part of the lives of busy people. All types of business cards are necessary for exchanging information. It is important for business people to know what is posted on them.
Types of business cards
Nowadays there are business and personal business cards. The first type is necessary to create an effective business. Usually the classic type of design is used, which indicates the name of the company, surname, first name, patronymic. There may also be other information. At the bottom is the phone number, address and other contact information.
There are types of business cards for government officials. They usually indicate the coat of arms and flag of the country. There are also secular business cards that are slightly different from the classic ones. They indicate an invitation to a person to a specific holiday.
Personal
Personal types of business cards contain information about the owner: full name, address, phone number. They can be common to spouses. As additional information, they post Skype and account address in in social networks. Products are given to loved ones, friends, relatives.
With the help of personal information, you can make a favorable impression when meeting someone. The product may contain images. You can arrange it as you wish, since special requirements no to this.
Business
Such business cards are needed when communicating with business partners. Therefore, the product contains business information - position, telephone numbers, mail address, fax. Their printing costs more because different ideas have to be implemented. Often plastic business cards are chosen, which look much more prestigious.
Expensive, high-quality paper and beautiful colors are used. Embossing and others are used modern methods. Plastic business cards will be the best recommendation for business people.
Corporate
To create products, a single template is used, which contains similar frames and colors. Then all employees will have the same business cards. They display the company logo, name, address, position, telephone number, and operating hours.
There may be a design on the main side, usually full color, but inexpensive. After all, the product is required for business, not for beauty. If it does not contain the coordinates of an individual employee, then it will be a standard advertising leaflet.
Manufacturing methods
Business cards are created using inkjet printing, laser printers. Silk-screen printing, risography, thermal lifting, offset printing, laser cutting and engraving are also used. Each method produces high-quality products.
Digital printing is the most popular method of manufacturing products. It also has disadvantages, for example, the price of the work will be more expensive if you create more than 3000 copies compared to offset printing. Also, the choice of paper will be small, and fine lines may not be noticeable.
Offset printing is called traditional version creation of information products. There is exclusive printing and multi-circulation offset printing. Work for inkjet printer done quickly and easily. But there is also a disadvantage to this method - the paper, which must be special. This is an amateur version of work, so it is not suitable for employees of a reputable company.
Silkscreen printing
Many types of business cards are created using silkscreen printing. Often this method is chosen to maintain the company's image. You can print business cards on any medium. The method allows you to perform selective filling with varnish, perform thermal rise, and record important information on the original material.
Often metal or plastic is chosen as the base. Reliable equipment allows you to perform work on top level. The seal should emphasize the image of the company or a specific person. Developing companies should order bright and original products. And this is possible with the use of new technologies, such as silk-screen printing.
Manufacturing technology
The process of creating business cards is simple. It involves performing several steps:
- creating a layout;
- its agreement with the customer;
- seal;
- cutting the sheet into separate cards.
For business cards, you can choose any font, letter color, it all depends on the type of product. Cards will look presentable if all their characteristics correspond to the status of a person or company.
Dimensions
The standard size of a business card is 90x50 mm. But you can make products with other parameters to order, but an additional fee is charged for this, since you have to configure the equipment.
There is a standard business card size according to the European standard, it is 85x55 mm. Such products will come in handy when visiting other countries. They are needed for international exhibitions and symposiums organized in Russia. Some printing equipment will require more design paper, which increases the cost of production.
Business card holders and other accessories for storing business cards are made to size 9x5. Larger or smaller settings simply won't do. Therefore, it makes more sense to use a standard size, because it is not only cheaper, but will also allow you to store it correctly. Moreover, the text of the business card will fit completely on such a product.
Paper
When making business cards, several details are taken into account:
- design;
- printing method and quality;
- type of paper.
The type and strength of the card depends on the quality of the paper. Nowadays many types of materials are produced. The density of cardboard for business cards should be 200 g/m2 or more. The strength of the card depends on this indicator. If you use thin paper, the products will look simple. An excellent option is a density of 250 g/m2.
The paper used for printing business cards may differ in surface. It can be ordinary coated with a smooth surface, textured, designer, material for stamping and embossing, touch cover and others.
The most common is white coated paper. Text and graphics lie flat and smooth on it, and colors look vibrant. Paper can be used to make simple cards, as well as unusual ones. Beautiful cards are made with textured linen paper. It is advisable to choose a density of 260 g/m2. Horizontal and vertical grooves imitate natural linen material.
Metallic paper is ideal for creating durable business cards. It has a pearlescent surface. Eat big choice colors. If you choose colored paper, then it should be taken into account that the white color changes with the corresponding background shade. It is advisable to use bright colors.
Original cards
Appearance establishes the first contact and also creates an opinion about the owner. Thanks to modern technology, there are many tools for producing unusual products. Original business cards are created using non-standard materials: CDs, wood and metal.
Printing capabilities are needed to transform cards after printing. UV varnishing is often used for this purpose, which serves additional protection from damage. Original business cards have a decorative design. This method can be used to varnish the entire surface, as well as individual elements of the print.
Another way to transform a card is embossing. Performed using hot and cold methods. Stamping can be done with foil. It comes in the color of gold, silver, mother-of-pearl. The card turns out bright with an original appearance. There is embossing. With this processing method, a relief image is created.
Thermal rise allows you to get a relief surface. This processing method uses thermographic powder sprinkled onto the wet paint. The card is heated, the powder swells, and therefore a convex surface is obtained.
In order for the product to acquire its original shape, it is subjected to cutting or carving. For this, special equipment is used. Each of these methods is necessary to obtain beautiful business cards. To make cards look presentable, you need to choose the best materials for them, as well as reliable technology.
It is an integral element of doing business. Every entrepreneur who wants all business partners to know about his company should have one. Of course, you can take a creative approach - change the format of the business card, paint it in different colors, draw catchy pictures on it. However, it is better to leave this for your advertising campaign aimed at target audience. When we're talking about About a business card, your goal is to concisely and clearly provide basic information that your partner or client may need to contact you. To do this, it is better to adhere to the standard business card format and relatively business-like form of content.
Standard format
Many people who are not involved in business believe that the business card format is absolutely free - you can make the kind of business cards you want. However, in reality this is far from the case. After all, there are certain standards that should be observed - although, of course, no one is forcing you to do this. So, if you are doing business in Russia, then the business card format there should be: 9 by 5 centimeters. This is the typical size that is used everywhere, so you should stick to it. Firstly, your business card will look neat and familiar to all clients and partners. Secondly, most people put their cards in a business card holder that has a certain size. And it just fits nine by five centimeter business cards. So don't ignore the rules. Of course, they are not mandatory, but there is a certain business culture, and a standard business card size is one of the rules of good form.
European format
If you are going to print business cards for yourself, then you should contact a specialized company that will quickly, efficiently and efficiently provide you with the appropriate service for a small fee. Most often, you need a business card designed on a computer, the format is a Word document. Then you can easily make the required number of cards of a standard size.
There is, however, another format with which you will not have any difficulties. If you are going on a business trip to Europe, then business cards of a slightly different format will come in handy. Their length should be a little smaller - 8.5 centimeters, and their width a little larger - 5.5 centimeters. Most business card companies have similar settings, so you can safely request the service. Again, all you need is in Word format.
Custom format
As stated earlier, the standard format is just a standard of decency; there are no set rules according to which your business card must have a specific size. However, you should understand that producing and distributing custom business cards comes with a number of challenges. Not a single company that prints cards will have the necessary settings for machines and cutting machines. Therefore, you will definitely be charged extra for the hassle. When the cards are produced, you will greatly lose the effectiveness of their use, since they will not fit in a standard business card holder or will fall out of it, so the likelihood that a client or partner will lose your business card increases greatly.
25.10.2014Among the many printed products, the leading place is given to the business card. The use of business cards has long been a rule of good manners. It contains information that provides basic information about a person or company. the main objective distribution of business cards - convey information to potential clients, increase your circle of contacts. Therefore, when used business card, standard sizes which corresponds general requirements, there is a greater chance that it will always be with the person, in his business card holder or a special compartment of his wallet, in a word, it will be at hand.
Rules for designing business cards
This little leaf can do big things. By appearance business cards judge their owner. Beautiful, presentable design plays a big role, but not the main one. An expensive design can be used to judge the wealth and success of a person or company. But if it does not provide comprehensive information about the company or person, there is no advertising slogan about the services that the company provides, then after a while the memory will disappear from memory of who gave this business card and when. And it will be unclear why it is needed.
Required to indicate different ways contact. The entire design of the business card should be aimed at being well remembered, so that if the need for services of this kind arises, he would turn to this organization. But sometimes great design alone isn't enough to make it successful.
In Europe, it is customary to create business cards measuring 85/55 cm. In Russia standard size of business cards in cm 90/50. This difference is due to the fact that the dimensions 90/50 cm allow you to make 24 printed products from one A3 sheet without any leftovers. This is more economical, as a result, production costs are reduced and the final cost of the product is reduced.
Potential difficulties with violations of Russian standards
Often customers don’t even think about what type of business card size, standard. Some people don’t even know that the standard, in principle, exists. They order the size that seems more interesting, challenging, and attractive to them. But this can lead to some problems.
Business cards custom size are more expensive. This is due to the need to reconfigure all equipment in the printing house. Consequently, you will have to spend money where you could not spend it. In this case, competitiveness decreases.
The proportions of placement of information and advertising material are violated. Without extra work designer, the result will be inadequate for the money spent. The business card will not look beautiful.
If business cards size in cm will not match 90/50, then the customer will not be able to place them in the corresponding haberdashery item. This means that at the moment when he needs to turn to the services of this company, the exact business card he needs will not be nearby. It will not be difficult for a person to find a replacement by contacting another company. But losing a client because of a non-standard, albeit very original, business card is unwise.
European standards
If you intend to cooperate with Western partners, then it is better to order business cards according to European standards. Their dimensions should be 85/55 cm. Regardless of whether business meeting or simple advertising services, goods, people abroad will be very pleased to feel attention and care Russian companies to their traditions and norms. This is another way to bring Russian and European businesses closer together.
When applying for a job in Western companies, it is also better to leave a business card for personal contacts made according to the standards of the country where the interview took place.
– this value is not constant. Of course, there is a business card standard generally accepted in Russia, it is 90x50 mm.
However, there are customers who ask to make the business card format larger or smaller. Most likely, moving away from the standard size means a way for them to be original.
You can change the format, but to do this you need to change all the settings on the cutter twice and cut a non-standard set of business cards separately. All this takes a lot of time and not all printing houses agree to this. Those who agree demand an additional fee for this, which is quite fair. It turns out to be quite expensive and often leads to disproportions.
It is clear when an order is made for Euro-format business cards. This is the European standard for business card size 85x55 mm. Professionals and individuals who travel to European countries on business or vacation and intend to expand their circle of acquaintances order Euro-format business cards. In addition, international exhibitions and symposiums held in Russia oblige our businessmen and scientists to acquire Western format Business Cards at foreign languages. When using some types of equipment, printing such products will require more consumption of expensive designer paper, which, accordingly, increases the cost and final cost of Euro-size business cards. Nevertheless, this is justified and economically beneficial.
It is still worth cautioning business people who are trying to stand out by changing the format of business cards. The fact is that all business card holders and other specialized accessories for storing business cards are produced for the Russian business card size of 9x5 cm. Smaller business cards simply fall out of the slots of the business card holder, and larger format business cards simply cannot be placed in a small pocket. Thus, it turns out that it is more rational in all respects to order business cards of the standard Russian size 90x50 mm:
1. It's cheaper.
2. Your business card will be placed in a business card holder, and not put in a pocket or on a table, where it will get lost among many other things.
There is another important aspect of this issue: business card designers who work with two main sizes 90x50mm and 85x55mm “feel” these sizes perfectly and almost never have problems with proportions. Non-standard business cards are often a little awkward precisely because of the unusual card format.
The Poligrand company offers printing business cards both standard size and euro format. The designers of our company will offer several layout options, and you will be satisfied with the quality and timing of the order. When designing business cards, you can use the section.
