PDF/X-4 for packaging: what it is and when to ask for it
PDF/X-4 is a standard way of packing a print file so that it behaves the same on every prepress system: fonts embedded, colour declared, nothing that can break on press. This page explains what it guarantees, how it differs from the older PDF/X-1a, what the FOGRA39 profile in it means for a printer outside Europe, and what Grapxo writes. Your printer’s specification always decides which one you send.
What PDF/X-4 is
PDF/X is a family of ISO standards for exchanging print-ready PDF files. A PDF/X file is a normal PDF with extra rules: every font is embedded, the colours the file uses are declared, and features that print workflows cannot rely on are not allowed. PDF/X-4 (ISO 15930-7) is the current variant. It allows live transparency, ICC-based colour and layers, and it requires an output intent, which states the press condition the colours were prepared for.
PDF/X-4 or PDF/X-1a?
Printers still ask for both. The older PDF/X-1a is the most conservative: everything is flattened and converted to CMYK or spot colour before the file is made. PDF/X-4 keeps more of the design intact and leaves the conversion to the printer’s workflow.
| Standard | Colour | Transparency | When a printer asks for it |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDF/X-1a | CMYK and spot colours only | Flattened before export | Older or very cautious workflows |
| PDF/X-3 | CMYK, spot and ICC-based colour | Not allowed | Colour-managed workflows without transparency |
| PDF/X-4 | CMYK, spot and ICC-based colour | Live transparency allowed | Current workflows; the usual modern request |
- PDF/X-1a
- ColourCMYK and spot colours only
- TransparencyFlattened before export
- When a printer asks for itOlder or very cautious workflows
- PDF/X-3
- ColourCMYK, spot and ICC-based colour
- TransparencyNot allowed
- When a printer asks for itColour-managed workflows without transparency
- PDF/X-4
- ColourCMYK, spot and ICC-based colour
- TransparencyLive transparency allowed
- When a printer asks for itCurrent workflows; the usual modern request
If your printer names a standard, send that one. If they do not, ask. Many current workflows accept PDF/X-4, but some printers still insist on PDF/X-1a.
What FOGRA39 means
The output intent in a PDF/X file names a printing condition. FOGRA39 (ISO Coated v2) describes offset printing on coated paper and is a usual condition in Europe. Printers in the United States more often work to GRACoL for sheet-fed or SWOP for web offset; other regions have their own. The file still prints anywhere, but the colours were prepared for one condition, and a printer who works to another will convert them. Expect small shifts, and ask for a proof.
What a packaging PDF/X-4 should hold
In the print PDF
- Fonts. Embedded, or converted to outlines. A packaging file with a few short lines of type is often safest with outlines.
- Output intent. Declared, so the printer knows which condition the colours were prepared for.
- Colour. CMYK, with spot colours only where the job runs a spot ink, and a total ink limit that the printer’s press can take.
- Bleed. The artwork runs past the cut line by the bleed your printer specifies.
- No dieline on the print face. The knife drawing travels as its own file or layer, so it cannot print by accident.
Finishes such as foil, emboss and spot varnish do not belong in the CMYK print PDF either; they go to the printer on separate layers. The layered vector output checklist shows how.
How to check a PDF/X-4 file
Ask your printer to run their own preflight, because that is the check that counts. On your side, Acrobat Pro’s preflight tool can verify PDF/X-4 compliance, and most design applications can export with a PDF/X-4 preset. A compliant file is not automatically a good file: it can still have the wrong size, no bleed or a barcode that does not scan, which is why the packaging preflight checklist covers the design side too.
What Grapxo writes
The printed face of a Grapxo design is written as a CMYK PDF/X-4 print file: FOGRA39 (ISO Coated v2) output profile, total ink at most 300%, type converted to outlines. For a carton the knife drawing is a separate file, so it stays off the print face. If the converter meets an element it cannot draw, that PDF is left out of the bundle and the complete SVG stays. Grapxo does not write PDF/X-1a. If your printer requires it, or works to a condition other than FOGRA39, tell them what the file is and ask how they want it handled. Material and colour approval stay with the printer.
Frequently asked questions
What does the X in PDF/X stand for?
Exchange. PDF/X files are meant to be exchanged between a designer and a printer without surprises.
Is a PDF/X-4 file the same as a print-ready file?
No. PDF/X-4 describes how the PDF is built: fonts, colour, output intent. A print-ready packaging file also needs the right size, bleed, a dieline on its own layer and artwork on the right panels.
Does my printer need PDF/X-4?
Ask. Many current workflows accept it and some still require PDF/X-1a. Whatever they name is the standard to send.
Does Grapxo export PDF/X-4?
Yes. The printed face is written as a CMYK PDF/X-4 with a FOGRA39 output profile, total ink at most 300% and type converted to outlines.
My printer works to GRACoL or SWOP. Can I still use the file?
Usually, because printers convert between conditions. Tell them the file was prepared for FOGRA39 and ask for a proof, since colours can shift slightly.
Does Grapxo export PDF/X-1a?
No. Grapxo writes PDF/X-4. If your printer requires PDF/X-1a, ask whether they can accept PDF/X-4 or convert the file themselves.
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