Marketing Materials

Marketing Materials Printed in Australia

Our marketing print materials cover every customer-facing print piece a business needs to support sales conversations, trade-show presence, direct mail campaigns, and in-store promotion. Locally printed in Australia on calibrated digital presses, the range spans brochures (bi-fold, tri-fold, gate, and z-fold), flyers across a wide paper stock and GSM library, saddle-stitched A4 booklets, postcards in DL, A6, and A5 formats, die-cut postcards, counter cards, screenboard composite panels, and branded tissue paper for premium packaging inserts.

The range is organised by two decision axes: format and use case. Format drives production cost, artwork complexity, and lead time. Use case drives the spec, a direct mail postcard needs entirely different paper weight, finish, and fold structure to a trade-show brochure or a luxury packaging insert. Understanding which you are printing for narrows the format choice to one or two candidates before you start briefing artwork. Our business stickers and branding collateral guide covers how sticker-format pieces integrate with the broader marketing print stack when event kits and campaign drops combine brochures, flyers, and branded stickers in a single order.

The four levers shaping a marketing materials order are format, paper stock and GSM, finish (matte, gloss, UV coating), and quantity. Pick the format first, it sets the fold structure, artwork complexity, and which stocks are available for that product. The sections below walk each lever in detail.

Shop Marketing Materials by Format

Format is the primary decision driver because it defines the physical structure of the piece, the artwork brief, and the production pathway. Six format families cover the full range of marketing print briefs in the catalogue.

Brochures: bi-fold, tri-fold, gate, and z-fold

Brochures fold a single sheet into a multi-panel structure that controls the reading sequence, which is why fold type is the first artwork decision, not a finishing option. Bi-fold creates four panels from one A4 sheet: front, back, inside-left, and inside-right. Clean, cost-effective, fastest to produce, and the default format for capability statements, service menus, and accommodation guides. Tri-fold divides the sheet into three equal panels that fold inward for a six-panel piece; the folded DL width fits a standard envelope, making tri-fold the direct-mail default. Gate fold opens two outer panels to reveal a full inside spread, the staged reveal suits luxury product launches, premium event collateral, and annual-report inserts where first impression justifies the additional production step. Z-fold creates an accordion structure that stands as a self-supporting table display, making it the standard for event booth brochures and guide formats picked up standing.

Recommended paper weights for brochures run 130 to 200 gsm. Use 130 gsm coated gloss or silk for high-image direct-mail pieces; 150 to 170 gsm for standalone sales brochures; 200 gsm silk or uncoated for premium gate-fold and luxury collateral. Paper above 200 gsm requires a score line at the fold to prevent cracking at the crease. For artwork-file setup that applies equally to folded brochures and multi-page collateral, our print artwork design guide covers bleed, safe zones, font outlining, and colour profile setup.

Flyers: paper stocks, GSM, and double-sided print

Flyers are single-sheet pieces printed one or two sides and used for in-store handouts, letterbox drops, event promotion, and trade-show giveaways. Paper stock and GSM is the critical spec decision because weight determines handling durability, perceived quality, and unit cost at volume. Three tiers cover most briefs: 90 to 100 gsm for high-volume letterbox drops and event handouts where cost per unit is the primary driver; 130 to 150 gsm coated for in-store handouts and sales collateral where the weight reads professional without a premium add; and 170 to 200 gsm for trade-show giveaways and brand-building handouts where the weight of the piece carries a quality signal before the copy is read. Double-sided print is standard across all stocks and the default recommendation for any customer-facing briefing context: a product visual on the front and a specification or call-to-action panel on the reverse.

A4 Booklets: saddle-stitched, page counts, cover weight

A4 saddle-stitched booklets are the standard format for product catalogues, capability documents, menus, and training guides. Saddle-stitching (two wire staples through the spine) is cost-effective for page counts between 8 and 64 pages; above 64 pages, perfect-binding is the appropriate production method and is available on request. Page count must always be a multiple of 4 because sheets nest inside each other in the press signature. Common options are 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 32, and 48 pages. The standard cover-and-text pairing is 250 to 300 gsm silk or uncoated cover with 130 to 150 gsm text pages. Matte or gloss lamination and spot UV on the cover front are finishing options that lift the booklet from a production piece to a brand artefact worth keeping.

Postcards: DL, A6, A5, and die-cut shapes

Postcards span four standard size formats plus die-cut shapes. DL (99x210 mm) is the direct-mail workhorse, the format that fits a standard Australia Post envelope without an additional fold. A6 (105x148 mm) is the most versatile counter and bag-insert size: large enough for a strong visual with copy, compact enough to sit naturally at a retail counter. A5 (148x210 mm) suits detailed product information and premium promotional drops where a smaller card would feel underscaled. Die-cut postcards are custom-shaped to a product or brand silhouette (arch, circle, tag, or bespoke cut), with standard die shapes available at no tooling uplift. Recommended paper weight is 350 gsm across the postcard range, this handles mailing without bending, reads substantial in the hand at retail, and accepts lamination and spot UV without flex.

Counter Cards, Screenboard, and Tissue Paper

Counter cards are rigid PVC or foam-backed prints engineered to stand at point-of-sale without a separate frame. Standard sizes include DL portrait, A5, and A4; they sit at checkout counters, exhibition tables, and reception desks to carry a promotion message or brand statement at eye level. Screenboard composite panels are engineered for outdoor advertising and large-format retail: roadside displays, sponsor panels, retail awning boards, and event sponsor backdrops where the panel must survive sustained outdoor exposure. For retail-specific placement strategy, our retail window and in-store display guide covers complementary window-format treatments that pair with counter cards and screenboard panels on the same campaign. Branded tissue paper is the packaging insert format in the range, printed single-colour or full-colour on tissue stock for e-commerce unboxing, retail gift wrapping, and premium product presentation. For how tissue paper and branded packaging stickers work together in a complete unboxing kit, see our branded packaging and product stickers guide.

Format Comparison at a Glance

Side-by-side spec table for the eight core format families. Use this as a quick filter before drilling into the format detail above.

Shop Marketing Materials by Use Case

How to Choose: A Quick-Pick Guide

If you are weighing format options against a specific brief, the quick-pick below maps common applications to a recommended starting spec. These are defaults, not absolutes, proof stage is where we tighten the spec to your exact use.

Paper Stocks and GSM Weight Guide

Paper stock weight is the second-biggest perceived-quality signal after format and finish. A tri-fold brochure on 130 gsm coated gloss reads as a functional piece; the same design on 170 gsm silk with a matte laminate reads as a considered brand decision. Understanding the stock ladder helps you match perceived weight to the brief.

Coated gloss

High-saturation colour reproduction with a reflective surface; best for photography-led flyers, retail promotions, and event handouts where vibrant colour is the priority. Accepts lamination and spot UV. Available from 90 gsm to 200 gsm for most products in the range. The reflective surface can create glare on small body text in bright retail environments, worth factoring in for typography-heavy pieces.

Coated silk

The same colour-accurate coated base as gloss but with a lower-sheen surface that reads as premium without glare. The recommended default for most brochures, flyers, and booklet text pages. Available 90 gsm to 200 gsm; 130 to 150 gsm covers the bulk of brochure and flyer applications. Pairs particularly well with matte laminate because the two surfaces sit at the same visual temperature.

Uncoated

A natural, slightly textured surface without a clay coating. Absorbs ink to give a warmer, softer colour reproduction that suits editorial, hospitality, fashion, and brand-identity briefs where clinical gloss would feel off-brand. Standard range is 120 gsm to 250 gsm. Ideal for booklet text pages in premium creative catalogues; the 200 gsm uncoated cover with a silk or gloss text block is a common creative-studio catalogue spec. Foil and spot UV are compatible on smooth uncoated stocks.

Specialty and premium cover stocks

Linen-textured, felt-textured, and through-dyed coloured stocks are available for booklet covers, gate-fold brochures, and luxury insert cards where the tactile quality of the paper is part of the brand statement. These are ordered as specific-run stocks rather than off-the-shelf and are quoted separately; confirm availability at order stage. All accept digital print; foil and spot UV are compatible on smooth and lightly textured variants.

Artwork Setup: Bleed, Safe Zones, and Fold Allowance

Print-ready artwork for marketing materials requires the same core technical specs as any printed piece, with fold structures adding a panel-alignment and crease-allowance requirement that flat-print jobs do not have.

Bleed and trim

Extend background colour, images, and textures 3 mm beyond the trim line on all four sides. The guillotine cuts with a tolerance of approximately 0.5 mm; without bleed, a small cut movement produces a thin white edge on backgrounds. For a DL tri-fold brochure the flat sheet before folding is typically 630 mm wide, so artwork must extend bleed on all four sides of the full unfolded sheet.

Safe zone for content

Keep all critical content, headlines, logos, contact details, QR codes, at least 4 to 5 mm inside the trim line and at least 3 mm clear of each fold line to avoid content being clipped or sitting directly on the crease. For booklets, keep text away from the spine gutter: a minimum 8 mm inside margin on stitched pages prevents text from running into the bind area where it cannot be read.

Fold allowance for tri-fold and gate-fold

For tri-fold brochures, the inside panel that folds in must be 2 to 3 mm narrower than the two outer panels to fold cleanly without buckling. A three-panel DL document is typically set up at 99 mm, 99 mm, and 96 mm, or download our pre-built template from the product page. Gate-fold panels must also account for the two outer panels meeting at centre without a gap or overlap; supply the flat artwork with the centre-crease marked as a fold guide, not a cut line. Common fold-allowance mistakes and their fixes are covered in our print artwork setup and file mistakes guide, which walks the most frequent file-submission issues our pre-press team flags across flat and folded print products.

How a Marketing Materials Order Moves Through the Press

From order placement to dispatch, every marketing materials job passes through a five-step production pipeline. Knowing what happens at each stage helps you plan timelines for campaign launches, trade-show load-in, and seasonal direct-mail drops.

1. File check

Within one business day our pre-press team opens your artwork and checks resolution, bleed, font outlining, colour profile, fold-panel dimensions, and booklet page count and imposition. Flagged issues come back with specific notes; clean files move straight to proof. For folded products, panel size and fold-allowance errors are caught at this stage before any production cost is committed.

2. Digital proof

You receive a digital proof showing the print at exact sizing with fold lines overlaid on brochures and booklets, and cut paths on die-cut postcards. You sign off on colour, layout, content, and fold alignment before production starts. No press time is committed until you confirm the proof.

3. Press

Approved files run on calibrated production digital presses for the full-colour base layer. Calibrated digital presses deliver consistent colour across reruns and across multiple products in the same campaign, important when brochures, flyers, and postcards all need to match brand colour within the same order batch.

4. Finishing: folding, lamination, stitching, die-cut

After the base print, products move to the relevant finishing path. Brochures pass through the folding press (with a score line on stocks above 170 gsm to prevent cracking at the crease). Booklets are gathered, collated, and saddle-stitched on the spine. Postcards and flyers receive lamination if specified. Die-cut postcards and counter cards go through the die-cut or CNC finishing pass. This stage adds 1 to 2 production days depending on complexity.

5. Quality check, pack, and dispatch

Finished pieces are quality-checked against the signed proof, bundled in protective wrap, and packed flat in rigid corrugated cartons to prevent edge scuff and corner crush in transit. Dispatch is by tracked courier with a tracking link sent by email; booklet orders are interleaved to prevent print-face scratching during transit.

Storage, Handling, and Distribution Tips

The way you store and handle printed collateral has a measurable effect on how well it arrives in the hands of customers and prospects, especially for direct mail, trade-show kits, and retail replenishment runs.

• Store print runs flat in the original carton at room temperature, away from moisture and direct sunlight. Coated and laminated stock is stable; uncoated stock can absorb moisture from a humid storage environment and cockle at the edges.
• For trade-show kits, pre-bundle a show allocation of brochures, flyers, and postcards into a separate carry box before loading out, this avoids handling the full stock under setup pressure and keeps the bulk run in pristine condition for post-event follow-up.
• Brochures and booklets should be stored flat, not stacked on their spine. Sustained vertical pressure on a saddle-stitched booklet spine can crease the cover over time; horizontal flat storage with a cover sheet between layers is best practice for long-run stock held over weeks.
• For direct mail, co-ordinate your print delivery timeline with your mailing house print-ready date; finished pieces typically need 5 to 10 business days of lead time at a mailing house before the drop date.
• Tissue paper should be stored flat and dry; it is sensitive to humidity and will wrinkle if stored in a damp warehouse environment. Keep sealed in the original packaging until the day of packing.

Why Print With Paperlust

Australian-printed on calibrated digital presses, with locally-stocked paper and in-house folding, lamination, saddle-stitching, and die-cut finishing. The full pipeline runs under one roof, which is why brochure, flyer, booklet, and postcard orders from the same campaign can be produced on a consistent colour profile and timeline rather than across multiple suppliers with diverging colour calibration and lead times.

Free pre-press file checks on every order, with specific notes on any artwork issues, resolution, missing bleed, fold-panel dimension errors, or booklet imposition problems, before printing rather than after. Every order receives a digital proof signed off before press, so colour, fold alignment, and content are confirmed before production cost is committed. For a worked illustration of how volume pricing scales across our print catalogue, including the most economical order quantities for multi-format campaign kits, see the Australian print pricing and volume cost guide.

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Popular Products in this Range

• Brochures
• Flyers
• A4 Booklets
• Postcards
• Die-Cut Postcards
• Counter Cards
• Screenboard
• Tissue Paper