When it comes to producing an engaging brochure to accompany your appeal letter you want something that gets people interested in holding, opening and reading it and how it’s folded can make a difference.
Different folds serve different purposes and there are many in the printing world. The three most common are C Fold, Z Fold, and the Single Gate Fold.
So, what exactly is the difference between these three folds? For what purposes are they best suited?
Let’s start with the C Fold, the most common tri-fold method. This fold creates the letter ‘C’ when viewed from the top. This folding method consists of two parallel folds, which create six panels that are all roughly the same size (three panels on each side of the paper.) It’s important to keep in mind that the fold-in (left and right) panels need to be 1/32” to 1/8” narrower than the other panels to allow for the creases in your brochure. You’ll want to be cognizant of images and text as they relate to the folds.
Next on the list is the Z Fold. Just like the C Fold, the Z Fold gets its name from the ‘Z’ shape created when viewed from the top. The styling of the fold allows for the panels, once opened, to appear in sequence. The Z Fold is great for dividing up information into different sections which is ideal if your mailing is covering multiple topics. This type of fold is also great for listing information in a step-by-step process.
Finally, we come to the Single Gate Fold. With this type of fold, the sides of the sheet fold into the center and open just as a gate would. Starting to see a pattern with the names of each of these three folds? The Single Gate Fold creates six panels with the center panel being double the size of each left and right panel. This type of fold is ideal to unveil a program, highlight a case study or reveal interesting statistics because the two folds meet at the center, enticing them to be opened.
Want some help determining which fold is best for your campaign’s supporting brochure or self-mailer? Drop us a line or give us call, 410.290.0667!
