PDF & Prepress

When generating PDF output (output_format: "pdf"), you can configure prepress settings for professional printing.

Quick start

For most use cases, one of the presets handles everything:

{
  "text": "Hello!",
  "font_id": 1,
  "page_size": "postcard_us",
  "output_format": "pdf",
  "pdf": {
    "preset": "generic"
  }
}

Presets

Presets bundle common settings for specific use cases.

`generic` (default)

Standard PDF output for most uses:

RGB color space
White background (no transparency)
Bleed/crop marks are controlled by pdf.profile (defaults to document)

Use for: General downloads, archiving, non-print workflows.

If you want the API to automatically choose press for trimmed products (postcards/cards) and document for letters, set pdf.profile: "auto".

`lob`

Optimized for Lob.com print API:

Forces PDF/X-1a (CMYK)
Includes bleed on trimmed products (postcards, cards)
No crop marks (Lob handles trimming)
GRACoL 2013 ICC profile (US), PSO Coated v3 (EU)

Use for: Lob.com direct mail integration.

{
  "output_format": "pdf",
  "pdf": {
    "preset": "lob"
  }
}

`click2mail`

Optimized for Click2Mail:

Standard PDF (not PDF/X-1a)
No crop marks or slug (clean edges)
Larger bleed for US trimmed products (6.35mm / 0.25”)
Press profile for postcards, document profile for letters

Use for: Click2Mail portal uploads.

{
  "output_format": "pdf",
  "pdf": {
    "preset": "click2mail"
  }
}

PDF standards

`pdf` (default)

Standard PDF with RGB color:

Compatible with all PDF viewers
White background
Supports profile/region/bleed options

`pdfx1a`

PDF/X-1a:2001 for strict print preflight:

CMYK color only (Ghostscript conversion)
No transparency
Embedded ICC profile
Required by some commercial printers

{
  "pdf": {
    "standard": "pdfx1a"
  }
}

The lob preset automatically sets standard: "pdfx1a". You don’t need to specify both.

ICC profiles

For PDF/X-1a output, choose an ICC profile for color conversion:

Profile	Region	Description
`auto`	—	US → GRACoL 2013, EU → PSO Coated v3
`gracol_2013`	US	GRACoL 2013 (recommended for US print)
`gracol_2006`	US	Legacy GRACoL 2006
`pso_coated_v3`	EU	PSO Coated v3 (recommended for EU print)
`iso_coated_v2`	EU	ISO Coated v2 (alternative EU profile)

{
  "pdf": {
    "standard": "pdfx1a",
    "icc_profile": "gracol_2013"
  }
}

Profiles

For standard PDF output, the profile controls bleed and crop marks:

`document`

Clean page with no print production marks:

No bleed area
No crop marks
Page size matches paper size exactly

This is the default (pdf.profile defaults to document).

`auto`

Automatically chooses a sensible profile based on page size:

press for trimmed products: postcard_us, card_5x7, card_a2, square_5x5, card_96x135
document for letters/envelopes and other formats

{
  "pdf": {
    "profile": "auto"
  }
}

`press`

Print-ready with bleed and trim guides:

Includes bleed area around content
Adds crop marks for trimming
Includes slug area for marks

Use this when you need print production marks and bleed (common for postcards/cards).

{
  "pdf": {
    "profile": "press"
  }
}

Bleed settings

Bleed is extra content area that extends beyond the trim line, ensuring no white edges after cutting.

Regional defaults

When profile is press and bleed is not specified:

Region	Default bleed
US	3.175mm (1/8 inch)
EU	3.0mm

Custom bleed

Override with bleed_mm:

{
  "pdf": {
    "profile": "press",
    "bleed_mm": 5.0
  }
}

Region

Region affects default bleed, ICC profile selection, and crop mark style:

Region	Bleed	ICC Profile	Crop marks
`us`	1/8” (3.175mm)	GRACoL 2013	1/4” length
`eu`	3mm	PSO Coated v3	5mm length

Auto-detection

When region: "auto" (default):

ISO sizes (a3, a4, a5, a6, dl, card_96x135) → eu
US sizes (letter, legal, postcard_us, etc.) → us

Crop box

Controls the visible area in PDF viewers:

Value	Description
`media`	Shows entire page including crop marks (default)
`bleed`	Crops to BleedBox (hides marks, shows bleed)
`trim`	Crops to TrimBox (final product size)

{
  "pdf": {
    "profile": "press",
    "crop_box": "trim"
  }
}

PDF boxes explained

PDF prepress uses several box definitions:

┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│  MediaBox (full page + marks)   │
│  ┌────────────────────────┐     │
│  │  BleedBox (+ bleed)    │     │
│  │  ┌─────────────────┐   │     │
│  │  │  TrimBox        │   │     │
│  │  │  (final size)   │   │     │
│  │  │                 │   │     │
│  │  └─────────────────┘   │     │
│  └────────────────────────┘     │
└─────────────────────────────────┘

TrimBox: The intended final product size
BleedBox: TrimBox plus bleed area
MediaBox: Full page including crop marks and slug

Examples

Postcard for Lob

{
  "text": "Thank you for your order!",
  "font_id": 1,
  "page_size": "postcard_us",
  "output_format": "pdf",
  "pdf": {
    "preset": "lob"
  }
}

A4 letter for download

{
  "text": "Dear valued customer...",
  "font_id": 2,
  "page_size": "a4",
  "output_format": "pdf"
}

Press-ready greeting card

{
  "text": "Happy Birthday!",
  "font_id": 3,
  "page_size": "card_5x7",
  "output_format": "pdf",
  "pdf": {
    "profile": "press",
    "region": "us",
    "bleed_mm": 3.175
  }
}

Getting Started

Guides

Reference

Quick start

Presets

`generic` (default)

`lob`

`click2mail`

PDF standards

`pdf` (default)

`pdfx1a`

ICC profiles

Profiles

`document`

`auto`

`press`

Bleed settings

Regional defaults

Custom bleed

Region

Auto-detection

Crop box

PDF boxes explained

Examples

Postcard for Lob

A4 letter for download

Press-ready greeting card

​Quick start

​Presets

​generic (default)

​lob

​click2mail

​PDF standards

​pdf (default)

​pdfx1a

​ICC profiles

​Profiles

​document

​auto

​press

​Bleed settings

​Regional defaults

​Custom bleed

​Region

​Auto-detection

​Crop box

​PDF boxes explained

​Examples

​Postcard for Lob

​A4 letter for download

​Press-ready greeting card

Quick start

Presets

`generic` (default)

`lob`

`click2mail`

PDF standards

`pdf` (default)

`pdfx1a`

ICC profiles

Profiles

`document`

`auto`

`press`

Bleed settings

Regional defaults

Custom bleed

Region

Auto-detection

Crop box

PDF boxes explained

Examples

Postcard for Lob

A4 letter for download

Press-ready greeting card