Envelopes and Folders - The Graphic Design: Reference and Specification - page 85

Consult the following chart for standard
ISO envelope sizes:

p r i n t i n g c o n s i d e r at i o n s
f o r e n v e l o p e s
•Papermillsandcommercialprintersrelyon
envelopeconverterstocut,fold,glue,and
assembleenvelopes.Envelopesareeither
premadebyanenvelopeconverterandsoldby
paperdistributorsasaproductmadefroma
mill'swritingandtextpapers,ortheyarecus-
tommadebyenvelopeconvertersfrompaper
afterithasbeenprinted.Premadeenvelopes
arelessexpensivethanconvertingfromflat
sheets.

Size In millimeters Approximate

inches

C3 324 × 458 12.76 × 18.03

B4 250 × 353 9.84 × 13.89

C4 229 × 324 9.01 × 12.76

B5 176 × 250 6.93 × 9.84

C5 162 × 229 6.38 × 9.01

B6/C4 125 × 324 4.92 × 12.75

B6 125 × 176 4.92 × 6.92

•Envelopesprintedinfourcolor,printedonthe
insideorcoveredentirelywithexteriorgraphics
needtobeprintedbeforetheyareconverted
intoenvelopes.

C6 114 × 162 4.49 × 6.38

DL 110 × 220 4.33 × 8.66

C7/C6 81 × 162 3.19 × 6.38

C7 81 × 114 3.19 × 4.49

•Embossingorengravingwillshowthrough
ontheoppositesideofapremadeenvelope,
unlessthetecniqueisconfinedtotheenvelope
flap.
Itisbesttoengraveorembossbeforethe
envelopeisconverted.

p o c k e t f o l d e r s t y l e s

•Printing,engraving,orembossingenvelopes
beforeconversionismoreexpensiveandtime
consumingandnotappropriateforsmallruns.
However,ifyouplantoproduceaquantityof
5,000ormore,printingbeforeconversionmay
bewithinyourbudget.Anticipateatleastthree
weeksforenvelopeconversionandcheckwith
yourvendortofindoutexactlywhatthetime
framewillbe.

•Whenprintingonpremadeenvelopes,confine
graphicsandreturnaddressinformationto
theupper-leftcorneroftheenvelope.Postal
regulationsrequirethatthefaceofthe
envelopebeleftblankforaddressandpostal
information.A 3 ⁄ 8 -inch(9.525mm)allowance
alsoneedstobemadeattheenvelope's
edgestoaccommodatepressgrippers.