Glossary
- Co-extruded plastic:
- two separate films that are bonded together during the extrusion process. Co-extruded material is durable and helps to resist wear, punctures, and tearing.
- Cotton drawstring bag:
- a bag type with a white cotton cord closure on the top of the bag.
- CMYK:
- an acronym for cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. The four colors used for process printing.
- Cyrel:
- the brand name for the plate material used for flexographic printing.
- Die:
- a tool used to cut paper sheets into individual designs. Each style of paper product requires a specific die.
- Die charge:
- the charge for a new die that must be made to produce a custom presentation product style.
- Digital color proof:
- a proof that is calibrated to approximately match the actual color reproduction on a printing press.
- Doorknob bag:
- a bag with a 2-inch die-cut hole for its handle. The hole size is ideal for hanging on a doorknob.
- Double wall bag:
- a bag made out of two layers of plastic film. The outer layer is usually clear.
- Extrusion:
- the process used to produce rolls of plastic film from plastic pellets.
- Flexography:
- a printing method used to print on plastic.
- Foil stamping:
- a process for applying foil to a substrate.
- Frosted shopping bag:
- a bag with a rectangular bottom and a cardboard insert reinforcing the bottom. Made from high-density plastic.
- Full bleed printing:
- printing with 100% ink coverage. A product’s surface is completely covered with ink.
- Gauge:
- refers to plastic thickness. This is gauged in mil, where one mil equals .0001 inches or .0254 millimeters.
- Grab bag:
- a bag with a die-cut handle.
- Gusset:
- a fold in the side or bottom of a bag.
- High density polyethylene:
- a type of plastic with a rigid texture. It is commonly used to manufacture grocery bags.
- Lamination:
- a plastic film bonded by heat and pressure to a substrate for protection or appearance.
- Line artwork:
- solid black and white artwork with out any shading.
- Lithography:
- a printing method we use to print on paper. Also referred to as offset printing.
- Litterbag:
- a bag used that is commonly used for trash disposal.
- Low-density polyethylene:
- a type of plastic with a soft texture. Most promotional bags are made of low-density polyethylene.
- M:
- an abbreviation for a quantity of 1000 units.
- Mechanical artwork:
- hard copy artwork that is designed to specifications.
- Metallic bag:
- a plastic bag with a silver metallic finish.
- Mil:
- a standard measurement used to gauge the thickness of plastic film. One mil equals .0001 inches or .0254 millimeters.
- Molded handle bag:
- a bag with a rigid plastic handle that snaps together.
- Non-woven bag:
- a soft textured bag with a look and feel similar to cloth. Made from polypropylene.
- Overruns:
- additional product made beyond the specified quantity.
- Paper stock:
- refers to the type of paper.
- Patch handle bag:
- a bag with a clear strip of plastic bonded to the inside of a die-cut handle. The patch reinforces the strength of the handle.
- Pearlescent plastic:
- A form of low-density plastic that is made with an additive to give it pearl-like appearance.
- Plate:
- the printing plate used to place ink on a substrate. Different types of plates are used depending on the printing process.
- Plate charge:
- a charge for plate material.
- PMS:
- an abbreviation for Pantone Matching System – a system for classifying spot colors.
- Polyethylene:
- the most common form of plastic. Plastic bags are typically made of either high or low-density polyethylene.
- Polypropylene:
- a type of plastic used to manufacture non-woven bags.
- Post-printing:
- printing that is done after the product is converted.
- Press proof:
- a proof created on a printing press.
- Process printing:
- a printing method used to reproduce a vast color spectrum with photographic clarity.
- Promotional products:
- items featuring custom-printed advertising messages typically given freely without condition of purchase.
- Registration:
- the alignment of printing plates as they place ink on a substrate.
- Scatter bag:
- a bag with small repeating design scattered across the bag.
- Screen printing:
- a printing method where ink is forced through a screen and stencil onto a substrate.
- Soft loop handle bags:
- a bag with a flexible soft strap handle. The handle is made of high density plastic.
- Spot color printing:
- printing with solid colors, usually from the Pantone Matching System.
- Stock design:
- existing designs that are available for use without plate charges.
- Take home bag:
- a bag with the top folded over to help reinforce the handle.
- Tall tube bag:
- a long slim plastic bag with a die-cut handle.
- Trap:
- a slight overlapping area where two colors meet. Traps ensure that slight errors with print registration do not show up as white gaps on the printed product.
- T-shirt bag:
- a plastic bag whose appearance resembles a t-shirt.
- Vector artwork:
- artwork that uses a mathematical language to describe the individual components of an image.
- White-well:
- a slight white gap between two colors.
Any words we’re missing? Let us know.