Bleed is essential in printing because it ensures that the artwork extends to the edge of the paper after the actual trimming process. This is necessary to avoid white spaces, unprinted areas, or a margin around the edge of the printed design after it is cut to the intended final size. Do note that adding an additional border outside of the original artwork does not qualify it as bleed. Instead, make sure that your design/artwork is extended beyond the final trim size.
During the printing process, the artwork is printed on a larger sheet of paper or material, which is then trimmed down to the final intended size. If the artwork does not include bleed margins, there is a chance that small shifts in blade alignment or inaccurate cuts can lead to some important information being truncated or worse, the artwork itself getting cut off or separated at the edges.
Including a bleed margin gives some allowance for slight discrepancies in the cutting process, providing the necessary space to ensure that the entirety of the artwork gets printed, without the risk of it being compromised in any way.
Therefore, it is essential to ensure that your artwork file includes the proper bleed before printing. The normal recommended bleed margin for most prints is usually 3mm all around. This will help guarantee that your final product looks professional and polished, without any white spaces, unwanted margins, or missing information.
A 3mm bleed around all edges is sufficient!
