Creating attractive, effective packaging and shipping containers for your product can be a challenge. While you want to create a structurally sound, eye-catching design, it also must meet all manufacturing regulations before you can craft the final product. Dielines are a crucial part of this process.

What Is a Dieline?

A dieline is a digital file that contains all relevant dimensions, score and cut lines, and design notes for your brand’s box, container, or display. This digital file when complete will also contain the art or graphics you want to be displayed on your packaging.

How Do You Use a Dieline?

Once a prototype is produced and approved, a dieline is created. Any mailer, display or shipping container that has scores/ folds, cut outs, flaps and panels requires a thorough dieline. Dielines act like a blueprint or template because they let you visualize the overall package.

Dielines let you do the following:

• Get accurate dimensions: The dieline provides you exact dimensions for your packaging or container, including the length, width, depth as well as all panel sizes.
• Place visual elements: You’ll also place all visual elements on the dieline, including your logo, artwork, images, branding, labels, and text. They need to be carefully aligned to meet marketing goals while providing allowances or setbacks from cut marks and score lines.
• Get important feedback: Once the visual elements have been placed on the dieline this is the time to incorporate feedback from all relevant parties, including production, graphic designers, management, marketing departments and legal teams. This step ensures that your graphic goals can be achieved. Making these decisions during this step saves money, time and minimizes material waste.

Important Dieline Components

Each component on a dieline works together to create a map of what your final packaging will look like. Some elements your dieline might include are:

• Blank or Trim line: The trim line will show you the size of the carton’s blank or overall sheet size, including any extra material required for manufacture.
• Score or Fold line: The score lines indicate where the box’s folds are on the top, sides, bottoms or in modified interiors.
• Cutline: Cut lines indicate the outline of your box as well as other cuts which may be needed to ensure your box folds up as intended.
• Perf line: If the carton requires perforated lines, the dieline will show their location.
• Graphics: Your artwork would be included in a completed dieline, showing how your box will be printed.

We hope this was an informative and useful look at all things dieline and welcome the opportunity to expand on or discuss anything specific you would like to learn more about!