Presentation folders printing: a guide to construction, board and finish

A standard A4 presentation folder is a die-cut sheet of 300 to 400gsm board, folded into a cover with two inside pockets and a business card slit, usually with a matt laminate outside. From Proof & Print, A4 folders on 350gsm board with a matt laminate and a card slit start at $1,220 inc GST for 250.

A presentation folder is the piece of stationery most likely to be held in a meeting. A conveyancing client takes one home with their settlement documents; a tender panel opens one beside four others; a new client receives the engagement letter in one. It has to hold its contents securely, survive a briefcase and look like it came from the same firm as the letter inside.

How is an A4 presentation folder built?

A standard A4 presentation folder is a single die-cut sheet of board, scored and folded into a cover with two inside pockets.

• Covers. The front and back panels. A folder for A4 sheets (210 x 297mm) is made a few millimetres larger, often around 220 x 310mm closed, so the pages slide in without catching.
• Pockets. Usually on both inside panels, around 100mm deep. A deeper pocket holds pages more securely but covers more of the first page. A shaped pocket, cut on an angle or a curve, makes pages easier to pull out.
• Business card slits. Small die-cut slots on one pocket that hold a standard Australian business card (90 x 55mm). Most folders have one slit, on the right-hand pocket. Ask for a second if two people present together.
• Spine. A flat folder has a single fold at the spine. A capacity spine adds two parallel folds a few millimetres apart so the folder sits square when full.
• Back panel. The usual place for addresses, the website and any required details, such as the firm's ABN or a professional standards scheme line.

Glued or locked pockets

Pockets are held in one of two ways.

Glued pockets are folded and fixed with a line of adhesive along the edges. They are secure, look tidy, and can be filled immediately. This is the construction most firms expect.

Locking or tab-lock pockets use die-cut tabs and slots instead of glue. They can be shipped flat and folded when needed, which saves storage space, but they take time to assemble and are a little less rigid when full. Some firms use them for very large runs that will be assembled over months.

Capacity

A flat-spine folder holds roughly 10 to 25 sheets of 100gsm paper before the covers start to bow. A 3mm to 5mm capacity spine suits a thicker settlement or tender pack, and gusseted (expanding) pockets suit bound documents. If a folder will hold a bound report, measure the report and tell your consultant before the die line is chosen.

What board weight should a presentation folder use?

Presentation folders are printed on board rather than paper, usually in the 300 to 400gsm range:

• 300gsm is lighter and folds easily, but can feel flimsy for a client pack.
• 350gsm is a common middle point. It stands up when filled, survives handling and folds cleanly. Our folders use 350gsm board as standard.
• 400gsm and heavier feels rigid and substantial, but heavy board cracks along the fold more easily, so it needs good scoring and usually a laminate.

Uncoated boards suit firms with an uncoated letterhead and a minimal design, but they mark more easily. Coated boards print colour more crisply and take a laminate well.

Which laminate and finishes suit a presentation folder?

Matt laminate is the sensible default for a presentation folder that will be handled; soft-touch and gloss laminates, foil and spot gloss are the other common choices.

Matt laminate is a thin film bonded to the outside of the folder. It protects against scuffing and fingerprints, reduces cracking along the folds where the printed surface would otherwise split, and gives a quiet, even surface. It is the sensible default for a folder that will be handled.

Soft-touch laminate has a velvety feel. It costs more and shows fingerprints a little more on dark colours, but it is often chosen to match soft-touch business cards.

Gloss laminate is less common for professional services folders. It makes colours bright, but reflects light in a meeting room.

On top of the laminate, two embellishments are common:

• Foil. A metallic or coloured film stamped onto the board with heat and pressure. Gold, silver and copper are typical for a logo or a firm name. Fine type and hairlines need to stay above the minimum line weight for the foil to release cleanly.
• Spot gloss (spot UV). A clear raised gloss applied to selected areas, usually the logo, over a matt laminate. It is subtle and tactile.

Both need their artwork set up as a separate layer, aligned with the print. That is point 6 of our proof checklist.

What are presentation folders used for?

Professional firms mainly use presentation folders for proposals, settlement packs, onboarding packs, estate documents and tenders.

• Proposals and pitches. The folder carries the proposal, fee estimate and team biographies, with a card in the slit.
• Settlement and conveyancing packs. Contracts, settlement statements and post-settlement information, often with a capacity spine.
• Engagement and onboarding packs. Engagement letter, terms of business, privacy notice and a welcome letter.
• Wills and estate documents. Copies of signed documents, with a note of where originals are held.
• Tenders. Some tenders still ask for hard copies. Check the tender's own instructions about binding and packaging before choosing a folder.

How many presentation folders should you order, and how should you store them?

Order presentation folders for 12 to 18 months of use and store them flat, dry and out of sunlight. Folders are bulky. A box of 250 flat folders takes up real shelf space, and a run of 2,500 can fill a cupboard. When planning:

1. Estimate annual use. Count the proposals, settlements or onboarding packs in a typical month and multiply.
2. Order for 12 to 18 months. The price per folder falls with quantity, but a rebrand, a new office or a changed scheme line makes old stock unusable.
3. Store flat, dry and out of sunlight. Board absorbs moisture and can bow, and laminate can lift at the edges in humid storage. Keep folders in their cartons, on a shelf rather than the floor.
4. Keep one master file. Reorders should start from the last approved artwork.

How much do presentation folders cost?

Our presentation folders are A4 on 350gsm board with a matt laminate outside and a business card slit, from $1,220 inc GST for 250. Larger runs are $1,740 for 500, $2,260 for 1,000, $3,770 for 2,500 and $5,950 for 5,000. Soft-touch, foil and spot gloss folders are quoted by your consultant. Folders are part of our Practice Suite, alongside cards, letterhead, compliment slips and envelopes, and our law firm stationery guide explains how the pieces fit together. Every folder file is checked by a person against our written proof checklist, including die line, folds and panel order, and nothing prints until you approve the proof. See more about our work for legal and professional practices.