What is a dieline.
A dieline is the flat plan of a package: the cut, fold and glue lines a designer places artwork on. This page explains what is on one, how to read the lines, and what it means when the package is a bag.
The short answerA dieline is the flat template of a package. It marks where the material is cut, where it folds, where it is glued, and how far the artwork must run past the edge. Designers place their artwork on it, so the print lands in the right place once the package is formed.
What is on a dieline
- Cut lines: the outline that is cut. The common convention draws them solid.
- Fold or crease lines: where the material bends, drawn dashed.
- Glue areas: the flaps that are glued to form the package.
- Bleed: artwork that runs past the cut line, so a small shift in cutting leaves no white edge. 3 mm, or 1/8 inch, is the common allowance, and some printers ask for 5 mm.
- Safe area: the zone inside the edges where text and logos stay clear of cuts and folds.
The lines sit on their own layer in a spot colour, kept apart from the artwork, and are not printed.
Dielines and bags
A paper bag starts as a flat printed sheet or reel. It is folded into a tube, the gussets are tucked in, and the base is folded and glued. The dieline shows where each face, gusset and fold falls on that flat sheet.
Artwork near the folds and the base wraps or disappears once the bag is formed. The press also needs a margin to grip and fold the sheet. On a paper bag, a true bleed to every edge is not always possible.
What to send us
You do not need a dieline to get a quote. Send your logo and we place it on the bag in a free digital mockup, at the real size, with the printable area shown.
For print, vector artwork is best: PDF, AI or EPS with fonts converted to outlines. Our guide How custom bags are printed covers the rest.
Questions
What is a dieline in packaging?
The flat template of a box, bag or label, marking where it is cut, folded and glued. Designers put the artwork on it before printing.
What is bleed in printing?
Artwork that runs past the cut line, so a small shift in cutting leaves no white edge. 3 mm, or 1/8 inch, is the common allowance.
What is the difference between a dieline and a die cut?
The dieline is the drawing. The die cut is the physical cut, made with a die shaped to that drawing.
Do I need a dieline to order custom bags?
No. Send your logo and we show it on the bag in a free digital mockup, with the printable area marked.
Written by the Bag Bureau production team. Last updated October 2026.