Bleed

The Bleed (or Abundance or trim margin in Italian) is a fundamental technical term in printing and prepress. It denotes the portion of a graphic element (such as a background image, a photo, or a solid colour) that extends beyond the final trim line (the trim) of the page.

It is not a visible area in the finished product but a technical margin that is cut off.

What is it for / Why is it important

It is used to compensate for the inevitable micro-inaccuracies of cutting machines (guillotines or dies).

If a graphic element were laid out to end exactly on the edge of the page ("full bleed" printing), any minimal shift of the sheet or the blade during cutting would create an unsightly white strip (sfilo) on the edge. The bleed ensures that, even if the cut is not perfect to the tenth of a millimetre, the colour or image still covers the entire surface, guaranteeing a clean result.

When is it used / In what context is it useful

Bleed is a mandatory requirement for any print project intended to have graphic elements that extend right up to the physical edge of the page. It is essential for:

• Flyers, brochures, and leaflets

• Business cards

• Covers for magazines, books, and catalogues

• Posters and placards

• Packaging and paper converting

It is set up in the layout software (e.g., Adobe InDesign, Illustrator) before generating the final print-ready PDF.

Practical Example

You want to create a standard business card (85x55 mm) with a completely black background.

1. Without bleed (Incorrect): You create an 85x55 mm file. The cutter, when trimming, might wobble by 0.5 mm and leave a small white border.

2. With bleed (Correct): You create a larger file, for example, 91x61 mm (i.e., 3 mm of bleed on each side). You "bleed" the black background right up to this outer edge. The printing company will print on a larger sheet and then trim off those extra 3 mm, centering the cut on 85x55 mm. The result? A business card that is perfectly black right up to the edge.