Post by thread:[OT]: Printing artwork on envelopes -- USPS guidel

Hi List, I would like to print some custom artwork on an envelope for a direct mail piece, but I'm having a hard time finding the information on what the US Postal Service guidelines are for things of this nature. Section 102, "Elements on the Face of a Mailpiece" of the "Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service Domestic Mail Manual" has a diagram, and some explanations: http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/102.htm However, it does not explain which areas of the envelope are OK to print on. Any ideas? Vitaliy

I can't speak to what is allowed by their rules, but the worst stuff I've seen has a full color print on the front with a white box for the To: address, with stamps over the printing, and the from address in low contrast over the printing. In cases where the stamp is part of the printing (presorted first class, etc) then it's within a white box in the appropriate place. The text in the white box should be machine readable, and you should consider adding the USPS barcode to the address so they don't have to print it on your envelope or sticker it on there. According to the website you linked, it appears that what I've said is pretty much it. White space for a centered to: address, white space for stamps and postal markings, and white space for return address if you want the piece returned should it be deemed undeliverable. You can print whatever you want elsewhere and everywhere. Do other postal systems have more strict requirements? -Adam On 6/28/07, Vitaliy <spam_OUTspamTakeThisOuTmaksimov.org> wrote: > Somebody? Anybody?.. <:-/ > > -

M. Adam Davis wrote: >I can't speak to what is allowed by their rules, but the worst stuff > I've seen has a full color print on the front with a white box for the > To: address, with stamps over the printing, and the from address in > low contrast over the printing. In cases where the stamp is part of > the printing (presorted first class, etc) then it's within a white box > in the appropriate place. I'm in the process of collecting junk mail. {Quote hidden}> The text in the white box should be machine readable, and you should > consider adding the USPS barcode to the address so they don't have to > print it on your envelope or sticker it on there. > > According to the website you linked, it appears that what I've said is > pretty much it. White space for a centered to: address, white space > for stamps and postal markings, and white space for return address if > you want the piece returned should it be deemed undeliverable. > > You can print whatever you want elsewhere and everywhere. Do other > postal systems have more strict requirements? So you think the OCR area should be free of any artwork? It's pretty big, actually -- since the USPS defines it in terms of margins, not absolute size. It takes up close to 50% of useable space. The way the USPS manual is worded, it sounds like their only concern is that the address be located within the OCR area. It may be OK to place artwork around the address box. I'm thinking about creating a sample envelope, and mailing it to myself, to see whether it will get rejected by USPS. Vitaliy

Why not create the envelop and then just go visit your local postmaster? When I did this for bulk mailing (many decades ago), you had to attach your envelope to the bulk mail permit application anyway. Regards/Roger, in Bangkok On 6/29/07, Vitaliy <.....spamKILLspam@spam@maksimov.org> wrote: > > ... I'm in the process of collecting junk mail. {Quote hidden}> > > The text in the white box should be machine readable, and you should > > consider adding the USPS barcode to the address so they don't have to > > print it on your envelope or sticker it on there. > > > > According to the website you linked, it appears that what I've said is > > pretty much it. White space for a centered to: address, white space > > for stamps and postal markings, and white space for return address if > > you want the piece returned should it be deemed undeliverable. > > > > You can print whatever you want elsewhere and everywhere. Do other > > postal systems have more strict requirements? > > So you think the OCR area should be free of any artwork? It's pretty big, > actually -- since the USPS defines it in terms of margins, not absolute > size. It takes up close to 50% of useable space. > > The way the USPS manual is worded, it sounds like their only concern is > that > the address be located within the OCR area. It may be OK to place artwork > around the address box. > > I'm thinking about creating a sample envelope, and mailing it to myself, > to > see whether it will get rejected by USPS. > > Vitaliy >

On Thu, Jun 28, 2007 at 07:46:36PM -0700, Vitaliy wrote: You should have the address and a border around the address ,1/4" or more free of artwork,the address can be anywhere in the address block area.Unless you have a complete 11 digit bar code the USPS will spray a barcode on the mailpiece,it should be in the bottom 1/2" and can extend back approximately 6 1/2" from the stamp edge of the mailpiece.Additionally an orange barcode will be sprayed on the back of the mailpiece starting about 3 1/2" from the stamp edge.If these areas have artwork/printing etc your mail should get delivered but it will not work properlly in the automated sorters and will usually take longer to be delivered.You should be able to get help from a customer service rep. Ray Warren ` {Quote hidden}> M. Adam Davis wrote: > >I can't speak to what is allowed by their rules, but the worst stuff > > I've seen has a full color print on the front with a white box for the > > To: address, with stamps over the printing, and the from address in > > low contrast over the printing. In cases where the stamp is part of > > the printing (presorted first class, etc) then it's within a white box > > in the appropriate place. > > I'm in the process of collecting junk mail. > > > The text in the white box should be machine readable, and you should > > consider adding the USPS barcode to the address so they don't have to > > print it on your envelope or sticker it on there. > > > > According to the website you linked, it appears that what I've said is > > pretty much it. White space for a centered to: address, white space > > for stamps and postal markings, and white space for return address if > > you want the piece returned should it be deemed undeliverable. > > > > You can print whatever you want elsewhere and everywhere. Do other > > postal systems have more strict requirements? > > So you think the OCR area should be free of any artwork? It's pretty big, > actually -- since the USPS defines it in terms of margins, not absolute > size. It takes up close to 50% of useable space. > > The way the USPS manual is worded, it sounds like their only concern is that > the address be located within the OCR area. It may be OK to place artwork > around the address box. > > I'm thinking about creating a sample envelope, and mailing it to myself, to > see whether it will get rejected by USPS. > > Vitaliy > > --

On 6/28/07, Vitaliy <spamKILLspammaksimov.org> wrote: > So you think the OCR area should be free of any artwork? It's pretty big, > actually -- since the USPS defines it in terms of margins, not absolute > size. It takes up close to 50% of useable space. No, the address should appear in a white box somewhere inside the OCR area - the remainder of the OCR area can have as much printing as you like, but be aware that if you put line art, words, or other high contrast small figures in the OCR area your letter may require additional processing. So if you only need a 3 inch by 2 inch box for the address at the chosen font size where the address will completely fit inside that box with a little bit of white space on all sides fo the address then anything outside that box can be full color printing. > The way the USPS manual is worded, it sounds like their only concern is that > the address be located within the OCR area. It may be OK to place artwork > around the address box. That's correct as far as I understand. > I'm thinking about creating a sample envelope, and mailing it to myself, to > see whether it will get rejected by USPS. It won't. First class mail is almost always passed through as long as the to: address is valid and either human or machine readable. People have sent all sorts of interesting things through the mail. You will rarely, therefore, get penalized for first class full rate mail. If you use presorted first class, or bulk mail then the requirements don't necessarily get harder, but they won't go to the trouble of hand reading the to: address if the machine rejects it. So as long as you have a small white box somewhere within the OCR area that is computer printed, and there are no terribly distracting elements elsewhere on the face, then you should have no problems. You will probably have no problems even if there are distracting elements on the face as the OCR software is quite sophisticated. -Adam -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Moving in southeast Michigan? Buy my house: http://ubasics.com/house/ Interested in electronics? Check out the projects at http://ubasics.com Building your own house? Check out http://ubasics.com/home/

M. Adam Davis wrote: > So as long as you have a small white box somewhere within the OCR area > that is computer printed, and there are no terribly distracting > elements elsewhere on the face, then you should have no problems. You > will probably have no problems even if there are distracting elements > on the face as the OCR software is quite sophisticated. Thank you everyone for your feedback. I will share my experience with direct mail hopefully in a couple of weeks. Vitaliy