FAQs
Coatings and Raised Effects
What is the difference between high gloss coating, high gloss lamination, and soft touch lamination?
High gloss coating is what you’re used to on most of the folders you buy at the store. It’s shiny and helps protect the ink from getting scratched. It doesn’t add much durability to the folders, and it’s very difficult to write on—even with a marker, which might smudge and take a long time to dry. But high gloss coating is economical and works well for a standard general-use folder.
High gloss lamination is thicker than high gloss coating, so it adds a certain level of durability to the folders. High gloss lamination can also be written on with a marker, but it’s difficult to write on it with a pen. It’s also shiny, which can make reading what’s written on it difficult.
Unlike the high gloss options, soft touch lamination can be written on with either a marker or ball-point pen, and like high gloss lamination, it’s thick enough to add some durability to your folders. It also has a matte finish, which makes the folders easier to read. It’s similar to the soft matte finish you find on many paperback books these days, except that soft touch lamination is thicker. It’s also not entirely clear, so it does tend to mute ink colors ever so slightly.
Just as the name suggests, raised effects are thick and stand out from the surface of the paper so you can feel them. They create both a visual and a tactile experience for users and are very attractive.
In the printing world, when we refer to any type of “spot” coating, we mean a coating that gets applied to only a very specific area (or areas) of the art, as opposed to a coating that covers the entire folder. For example, you might add spot raised gloss to just your school name, meaning that each letter of the name will be embellished with the raised gloss effect.
The raised gloss is a clear coating that adds a shine to whatever it covers. Depending on the ink color(s) beneath it and the size of the gloss areas, you may have to hold the folder at a particular angle so it catches the light. Otherwise, it might be difficult to see. But when the light reflection is just right, raised gloss is pretty darn cool!
Printing
Literally as many as you want.
All folders are printed in four-color process (CMYK), so if you want us to try to match Pantone® (PMS®) colors, we’ll do the best we can. It’s important to note, however, that some Pantone® colors simply do not translate well to CMYK. There’s nothing we can do about that.
Sure. In fact, hex colors translate easily to CMYK, so you’re welcome to use them to you heart’s content!
The only way we can have any chance of matching your school colors is if you give us the exact color information we need plus a sample to match to. For example, if you know the exact color builds of your school colors (maybe your school red is 100% magenta/100% yellow or PMS® 186), then send us that information so we can ensure your art is built correctly. A printed sample of your colors (on a poster, your letterhead, etc.) also helps our press operators ensure that the color coming off the press is a good match. We would be happy to return any color sample that you provide, if necessary.
Not exactly. If you receive a PDF proof, your computer’s or device’s screen determines the colors you see in the PDF, and that’s not necessarily accurate. Colors vary from screen to screen because most screens are not calibrated. Also, your screen shows you colors in RGB (Red, Green, Blue), not CMYK, which in some cases looks very, very different from RGB. So your school colors might appear darker or lighter on screen than they will be when they print.
If you receive a color laser proof, that’s not accurate either because laser printers are not calibrated and are not high enough quality for color matching (plus the art will be reduced to fit, which can monkey with the colors). You’ll be able to see where the colors are, but not exactly what they’ll look like off the press.
If this is a concern, then see the previous question above for how to address color matching.
Folder Cover Design
The easiest way to do this is to select one of our Customizable Cover Ideas. The designs that allow for custom graphics and text include C7, C8, C9, C10, C16, C17, and C18. Just provide us with the exact name to use and a high resolution image of your mascot or other graphic to be used. Images can be in color. If you don’t have a file to send, you can mail us a clean, crisp print of the graphic to be used. We’re happy to return it if necessary.
Yes and no. We’re happy to create a basic cover design using your graphic and school name, but don’t expect anything fancy. If you want something more involved, you’re better off selecting one of our Customizable Cover Ideas or putting something together yourself.
It’s best if you outline fonts (be sure to save a version of the file with the “live” fonts still intact!) and save your cover as a PDF. Be sure that your cover design is to the correct size. We recommend setting up your art on our template (zip file).
Also read our page, “How to Set Up Print-Ready Art.”
Absolutely! We can use any Adobe font on our cover designs. If you have a particular font you really like, send us a sample of it and we’ll match it as closely as possible (an exact match may not be possible, though, if it’s not available as an Adobe font).
If you’d like to use one of our Customizable Cover Ideas, refer to the design description to see how customizable it is. For example, idea C1 says “Add your school name,” which means that this is the only part of the design that you can customize. Then again, idea C13 says “Add your school name and customize color.” That means that you can change the wording on the design and select the colors you want to use. Skip ahead to idea C17—“Add your school name, text, mascot, and customize color”—that’s a lot of customizing!
When you submit your order, you just need to tell us how you want to handle each possible customization. For example, you might say something like “Please use Washington Senior High for the school name, use your standard dark green for the background and your standard yellow for the foreground color. A file for our mascot is attached.” Basically, we just need clear instructions from you plus whatever images you might want to use (depending on the design you choose). If we have any questions, we’ll let you know.
As long as your artwork is set up correctly and fits the die, there aren’t many limitations to what you can do. However, note that we will not reproduce copyrighted or trademarked materials unless you provide written permission from the copyright or trademark holder. For example, don’t try to use Disney® or Marvel® characters in your design!
Once we receive your order, we will reach out to confirm receipt of your order, clear up any questions we have, and get any outstanding files we need. You can attach any needed files to your reply. If your files are too big to email, we’ll give you suggestions for how to send them.
Backs, Pockets, and Above Pockets
In most cases, we’ll use what you send us as-is, unless what you send is of poor quality or simply doesn’t fit the space. In these cases, we’re happy to set up your copy as part of the standard set-up fee.
Set up your art using whatever software works for you, then save your file as a high-quality PDF to attach to your order. You can also mail us clean, crisp, scannable printouts.
No, we do not customize our standard options. However, you’re welcome to steal any of our ideas and make them your own! Just set them up how you want them and send them to us as high-quality PDF files.
Shipping
No, we really don’t. Well, OK, you caught us. There are exceptions. We do not charge for ground shipping to one school or warehouse location in the contiguous US. Shipping to Alaska or Hawaii, US territories, or other countries will be charged to the customer. Also, rush shipping, split shipments, requests for specific carriers, and residential or inside deliveries are not covered by this policy. If there will be shipping fees, we will let you know before we put your order into production.
This is something you really want to avoid. The best case scenario is that the shipment is returned to us and we have to charge you to reship. This scenario causes additional fees, straining tight school budgets, and triples the chances of in-transit damage. That’s the best case! The worst case is that the folders get left outside the door at your location to get damaged in the weather (or stolen!) until someone finally shows up to bring them in.
If we ship folders to the address you give us and you haven’t told us NOT to ship the folders when they’re ready, we cannot be responsible for what happens to those folders. Replacement for lost or damaged folders would fall on you to pay for.
The best way to avoid these issues is to give us a “Do Not Ship Before” date. For example, if your school is closed between June 30 and August 15, put August 15 on your order form to ensure that your folders don’t show up while no one is there to receive them.
If this happens, please contact us immediately so we can start a claim with the shipping company. We will also reprint and reship your folders at no cost to you—but note that if the damage occurred because the folders were delivered and no one was there to receive them or because the delivery address we were given was incorrect, you may have to share the cost (or fully cover the cost) of the reprinting.
Quantity, Pricing and Billing
We’re happy to work up a custom quote for you. Just give us a call at 1-800-854-6910 or email us at info@CoolSchoolFolder.com. Tell us which folder you want (CCF, CSG, CSS, CRG, or CRF), which pricing chart you’re using (FBP or SSP), and what quantity you’d like to see. If you’d like pricing for more than one type of folder or more than one custom quantity, that’s fine. Just let us know. We’re happy to help!
Folders are printed on a flat sheet of paper with the front, back, and pockets on one side of the sheet and the inside above pockets printed on the other side (also called “second side”) of the sheet. Printing on both sides of the sheet is a more complex process that also takes additional time and materials. Hence the added cost.
Side One Printing
Side Two Printing
Each step in the process requires a certain number of disposable sheets of paper for make-readies (testing color density, aligning registration, etc.). Plus paper is easy to damage, and while we damage very little of it, we still need to have extras to cover any damaged sheets. All this means that, in order for you to get a guaranteed number of folders, we have to start your order with significantly more paper than the quantity you requested. On top of that, because we’re starting with extra paper, we wind up with more folders than needed, and the extras just get thrown out, making your exact quantity order more costly. Hence the additional fees.
Due to the complexities explained above, the printing industry has what are called overs (more finished product than ordered) and unders (less finished product than ordered). Industry standard says that it’s acceptable to have up to 10% more or less product than the quantity ordered, especially for customized products like ours. However, the Cool School Folder Company does not ship overs, only unders. This means that you will never be charged more than you’re expecting, but it also means you could receive up to 10% fewer folders than you ordered (personalized folders only; nonpersonalized items are subject to 5% unders).
It’s important to understand what unders are so that you can be sure to order enough folders to meet your needs. For example, if you need folders for 290 students, ordering 300 is not safe because you could receive as few as 260 folders. It’s best to always assume that you need to order at least 10% higher quantity than you think you actually need. For 290 students, you should order at least 320 folders (although we would recommend no fewer than 350 folders so you have some to replace damaged and lost folders throughout the school year).
With all this in mind, if you need pricing for a special quantity like in this example, just reach out to us and ask for a custom quote.
Proofs
We can send you a PDF of your folder art or a laser printout at no added cost (first proof only). Be sure to select your preferred proof type when you order. If you choose a PDF, provide the appropriate email address to send it to. If you choose a laser proof, provide an address where someone will be to accept delivery. We cannot deliver to a PO box.
NOTE: If you request delivery to an email address that is not continually monitored or to a physical address where no one will be available to accept delivery, we cannot be responsible for any delays this might cause. Be sure to provide an email or physical address, as applies, at which your proof can be successfully delivered and received.
First-time orders and changes to previous orders being set up by us require a proof so everyone can be assured that the folders meet your expectations. If you want to avoid a proof, then you have to send print-ready art. However, please note that if we have problems with your print-ready art, we may still require you to review a proof. If you’re ordering an exact repeat (no changes) to a previous order, then whether or not you get a proof is up to you.
If you ordered raised gloss (CRG) or raised foil (CRF), those parts of the art will be represented by magenta on your proof, but that color will not print on your folders. It merely represents the effect that you ordered so that you can see exactly where your gloss or foil will appear on your folders.
If you received an emailed proof with a digital proof response form, you can simply click the appropriate response on the form to trigger an email response. If you received a laser proof, then please call us at 1-800-854-6910 to respond to your proof or email your response to info@CoolSchooFolder.com. Please reference the job number included on your proof response form.
If you catch an error (or something changes) after you’ve approved your proof, contact us immediately at 1-800-854-6910. If your folders haven’t been printed, we will make the adjustment and send you a new proof to approve. If your folders have been printed, however, things are more complicated—and expensive. If we have to make a change after printing, we’re happy to do so, but you will be charged for the unusable printed folders. If your folders have already shipped, then your change(s) will be entered as a new order and you’ll be charged accordingly. So be sure to review your proof very carefully the first time and keep your fingers crossed that your district doesn’t make any last-minute changes!
It’s highly unlikely that this would ever happen. On the extreme off-chance that it does, contact us immediately at 1-800-854-6910. If the error is our fault, we will reprint your folders at no cost to you and expedite shipping if necessary to meet your required in-hand date.
Extreme Personalization
Extreme Personalization means personalizing your folders with teachers’ names, students’ names, clubs and organizations, events, and so on. For example, you may want to personalize the folders for each teacher and each of their classes or give each student a folder with their name on it. All you need to do is send us a spreadsheet with the information to be added and the quantity for each option.
Extreme Personalization adds $0.12 per folder to your order. Note that this additional cost affects your entire order, whether you add Extreme Personalization to every folder or not. For example, if you order 500 folders and add Extreme Personalization to only 400 of them, the additional $0.12/folder cost still applies to the full 500 quantity.
Your spreadsheet needs to include all the information to be placed on the folders plus the quantity for each. If you will have two lines in your Extreme Personalization, use a separate column for each line. Also use a separate column for the quantities as in the example below. The headings you use for each column aren’t critical, but they should be clear and easy to follow.
Any spreadsheet software will do. Just export (or, in the case of Google Sheets, download) the file to an Excel format or a .csv format.
No, so proofread the content before you send it! We do not re-key your content. We use it exactly as supplied. So if the content in your spreadsheet is accurate, your folders will be as well.
If you choose one of our ink-only folders (CCF, CSG, CSS), you can choose the ink color you want when you fill out the order form (or tell us on your PO). If you choose our raised gloss folder (CRG), then your Extreme Personalization will automatically be in raised gloss. Finally, if you choose our raised foil folder (CRF), you choose the foil color on the order form or PO.
For the ink-only folders, you can choose any color you want, from our standard colors to a color used in your prepared artwork. Just be sure to be specific. Also, be sure to choose a color that will show up. Don’t choose black ink, for example, if your background color is navy blue.
For raised foil, you must choose from one of our standard foil colors: Metallic Red, Metallic Blue, Metallic Green, Shiny Silver, or Shiny Gold.
If you don’t tell us what color you want for your Extreme Personalization, we will choose one for you that complements your design.
If you have a specific spot in mind, let us know. Otherwise we will choose a spot where your Extreme Personalization best fits. If you choose a spot that turns out to be too small to accommodate your content, we’ll adjust it for you to ensure that your Extreme Personalization is attractive and easy to read.
