# Practical printing guides

Independent, sourced guides to help you prepare a print job in Paris: paper sizes, grammages, offset or digital, page count, spine width, file preparation, three calculators, and regulatory fact sheets (mandatory notices, legal deposit, election material, copyright, recycling, labels, GDPR).

## Guides techniques

- [Preparing your file for the printer: bleed, CMYK, PDF/X](https://imprimeur.paris/en/guides/preparer-son-fichier/) : Bleed, margins, CMYK or RGB, resolution, fonts and PDF/X: what to check before sending a file to the printer, product by product.
- [Paper sizes: A4, A5, B1 and common print formats](https://imprimeur.paris/en/guides/formats-papier/) : Exact dimensions of the A, B and C sizes (ISO 216), usual formats for business cards, flyers, posters and roll-up banners, and how to choose the right one.
- [Paper grammage: which weight for which print job?](https://imprimeur.paris/en/guides/grammages/) : Usual grammages by product (80 g, 135 g, 350 g…), the differences between matt coated, gloss coated and offset paper, and how bulk affects thickness.
- [Offset or digital printing: which should you choose?](https://imprimeur.paris/en/guides/offset-ou-numerique/) : Offset or digital: how they work, the quantities at which offset becomes worthwhile, turnaround times, quality, and the cases where each technique is the obvious choice.
- [Booklet page count: multiples of 4, sheets and binding](https://imprimeur.paris/en/guides/pagination-brochure/) : Why a stapled booklet has a page count that is a multiple of 4, how to calculate the number of sheets, and what changes with perfect binding.
- [Calculating the spine width of a book or booklet](https://imprimeur.paris/en/guides/epaisseur-dos/) : The formula for calculating a book's spine width (pages ÷ 2 × paper thickness), published paper thicknesses by grammage, and worked examples.
- [Print calculators: book spine, page count, resolution](https://imprimeur.paris/en/guides/calculateurs/) : Three free calculators: the spine width of a book, the page count and number of sheets of a booklet, and conversion between pixels, dpi and print size.

## Réglementation

- [Mandatory notices on printed matter distributed to the public](https://imprimeur.paris/en/guides/reglementation-mentions-obligatoires/) : The printer's name and address (1881 Act), penalties, flyers, posters, the “Ne pas jeter sur la voie publique” notice: what is and is not mandatory.
- [Election posters and campaign material](https://imprimeur.paris/en/guides/reglementation-affiches-electorales/) : Maximum poster size, white paper, colours, candidate statements and ballot papers, official notice boards and reimbursement of printing costs: the French Code électoral.
- [Legal deposit of printed matter](https://imprimeur.paris/en/guides/reglementation-depot-legal/) : Who deposits, which documents (books, posters, leaflets), how many copies, when and where: printer's and publisher's legal deposit at the BnF, and its exclusions.
- [Photocopies and reproductions of protected works](https://imprimeur.paris/en/guides/reglementation-droit-de-copie/) : Copyright and reprographics: the role of the CFC, the “Copies-services” contract, the limits of private copying, sheet music and the SEAM, and what a copy shop may copy.
- [Recycling of printed matter: paper EPR and sorting information](https://imprimeur.paris/en/guides/reglementation-recyclage-imprimes/) : Who pays the eco-contribution on printed matter, approved producer responsibility organisations, the Triman logo and Info-tri, mineral oils in inks: the French paper EPR scheme explained.
- [Environmental labels in the printing industry](https://imprimeur.paris/en/guides/reglementation-labels-environnement/) : Imprim'Vert, FSC, PEFC, EU Ecolabel: what each label guarantees (workshop, paper or printed product) and how to check that a printer holds it.
- [Address files and direct mail: what the GDPR says](https://imprimeur.paris/en/guides/reglementation-rgpd-publipostage/) : Direct mail and the GDPR: the roles of the client and of the printer or mailing house, the processor contract (article 28), legal basis, informing individuals, security.