If you have finished artwork
Please check these 5 items before submitting. If anything needs fixing, our team will contact you before printing and finishing begin.
Check the 5 items →Artwork Submission Guide
Everything you need to check before submitting your artwork, and how to prepare your files — organized so you only need to look at what applies to you.
If you don't have design data yet
No problem if your design isn't finalized yet. Use generative AI to create a reference image from your logo, and send it to us along with your logo file. We'll create the print-ready design for you.
Generative AI Guide
It's fine if you don't have a design idea yet
Create a preview of your finished card with AI, starting from your logo
Upload your logo to ChatGPT or a similar tool to easily create a photo-realistic card mockup or a flat design proof. You don't need to create professional print-ready data yourself.
How to create an AI reference image
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1
Upload your logo
Upload your company, store, or brand logo image to ChatGPT or another generative AI tool. A PNG with a transparent background works best.
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2
Describe the card you want
Enter the card's purpose, colors, mood, and the content you want included, and specify either "a photo-realistic mockup image" or "a flat design proof."
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3
Review and refine the image
Give feedback such as "make it simpler" or "make the logo bigger" until the result is close to what you want.
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4
Prepare your logo file and the AI reference image
Save the original logo file and the AI reference image, and submit them together.
Example prompt
"Using the attached logo, please create a premium membership card in black and gold. Create two versions: (1) a photo-realistic mockup image of the card, and (2) a flat design proof of the card's front, with the logo, membership number, and name placed on it."
What happens after you submit your files
Please send your logo image and the AI reference image together. We don't print the AI image as-is — our team rebuilds it into print-ready data.
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1
Submit your logo and AI reference image together
Please send the original logo image, the AI reference image, any photos, and the correct text content to include.
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2
We create the print-ready data
Based on the AI reference image, we use your correct logo and text to create print-ready data with the right size, resolution, and bleed.
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3
Review and revise the design
You'll review the finished design proof, and we'll make revisions as needed.
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4
Printing and finishing after approval
Once you approve the final design, we begin printing and finishing the cards.
*AI-generated images are reference material to communicate design direction, not finished print data. Text and logos within the image may not be accurate, so please always send the original logo file and correct text content along with it. Please also be mindful of the terms of use for generative AI tools and the rights of any third-party logos, characters, or photos.
Pre-Submission Check
5 Things to Check Before Submitting
Please check these 5 items first. Detailed creation methods are covered in the guide below.
Size & Bleed
Please create standard card artwork at 89.1 × 57.5mm, including bleed.
Color Mode
CMYK is recommended. RGB submissions are accepted, but colors may shift during conversion.
Outline Your Text
Please outline all text to prevent garbled characters or font substitution.
Images & Resolution
Please embed images at 350dpi or higher, at the actual size used.
Final Content Check
Please double-check names, numbers, QR codes, front/back, and any cropped text before submitting.
Visual Reference
See the Key Points in Pictures
This section covers the basics of artwork creation and how to prepare photos for employee/ID cards.
Overview of Card Artwork Creation
See size, bleed, safe area, and color mode all in one image.
On smartphones, swipe the image sideways to view it.
See how to create artwork in Illustrator/Photoshop →
Preparing Photos for Employee/ID Cards
See the difference between recommended photos and photos that don't come out well on a printed card.
Recommended: A forward-facing chest-up photo with a bright, simple background.
Avoid: Side angles, photos taken from too far away, backlighting, blurriness, or busy backgrounds.
Photo cropping position and in-card layout are adjusted for you as part of our free design service. See how to prepare photos and your Excel roster →
Avoid: Side angles, photos taken from too far away, backlighting, blurriness, or busy backgrounds.
Photo cropping position and in-card layout are adjusted for you as part of our free design service. See how to prepare photos and your Excel roster →
Detailed Guide
Open Only the Sections You Need
Detailed explanations for everything are collected here. Select a topic to expand it.
01 How to Create Print-Ready ArtworkIllustrator and Photoshop settings and save methods
Step-by-Step Guide
Step-by-Step Guide (Adobe Illustrator)
1
Create a New Document
・Finished size: 85.6mm × 54mm
・Artboard size (including bleed): 89.1mm × 57.5mm
・Color mode: CMYK
・Resolution: 350ppi
2
Set Up Guides
・Set a 1.75mm bleed area on all four sides.
・Set a "safe area" guide 1.75mm inside the finished size.
* Place important elements that must not be cut off, such as text and logos, within the safe area.
3
Create Your Design
・Place your background, images, and text.
・Background colors and images must always extend all the way to the outer bleed area.
4
Outline Your Text
・Select all text and run [Type] → [Create Outlines].
* This step is required to prevent garbled characters and ensure printing in the correct typeface.
5
Save & Export
・Recommended format: PDF (PDF/X-4)
・Export with crop marks, without compressing images.
Step-by-Step Guide (Adobe Photoshop)
1
Create a New Document
・Finished size: 85.6mm × 54mm
・Artboard size (including bleed): 89.1mm × 57.5mm
・Resolution: 350dpi
・Color mode: CMYK
* For accurate sizing, please set your units to "mm" when creating the document.
2
Set Up Guides
・Set a 1.75mm bleed area on all four sides.
・Set a "safe area guide" 1.75mm inside the finished size for placing important elements.
3
Manage Your Layers
・Keep the background, images, and text on separate layers, grouping them into folders as needed.
4
Adjust Color
・Creating your file in CMYK is recommended. With RGB, colors may shift during CMYK conversion.
・Total ink coverage (TAC value): 300% or lower is recommended.
5
Save Your File
・Recommended format: PSD (keeping layers where possible) or high-quality PDF
・For JPG/PNG, please provide high-resolution data at the size including bleed.
02 Individual Data for Employee/ID CardsHow to prepare photos, file names, Excel rosters, and special/legacy characters
ID Card Individual Data Submission Guide
(For orders such as employee or student ID cards that require individual printing)
For orders involving individual printing (variable data printing), please prepare "portrait photos" and a "roster list" separately from your design artwork.
■ Photo File Naming Rules
To ensure accurate matching, please help us by naming your files correctly.
File name: Use a unique management number, such as the employee number from your roster (e.g. 1001.jpg). If using names instead, please watch out for duplicate names.
Recommended photo resolution: 300dpi or higher (front-facing, no headwear, plain background). For full card design images, 350dpi or higher is recommended.
* When shooting with a smartphone, please avoid digital zoom and shoot in a well-lit location.
■ Creating Your Roster List (Excel/CSV)
Each row in your roster corresponds to one card.
Supported formats: Excel (.xlsx) or CSV (UTF-8)
Special/legacy characters: If a name includes special kanji variants, please let us know separately to prevent garbled text.
[Sample Data Format]
If you already have roster data or a management sheet, you're welcome to send it as-is.
We'll format it into a format that's easy for us to work with.
03 Technical Specifications by Card TypeCommon specs, IC/magnetic cards, portrait photos, and individual printing details
Technical Specifications by Card Type
Technical Specifications Common to All Cards
■ Basic Card Specifications
■ Design & Color Specs
* RGB data is converted to CMYK during printing, so colors may shift.
* We cannot guarantee an exact color match in the finished product. Thank you for your understanding.
■ Accepted File Formats
[Vector Data (Recommended)]
Formats: Illustrator (.ai) / PDF
Required: Please outline all text.
Size: Please create your artwork including the bleed size (89.1mm × 57.5mm).
[Image Data]
Formats: JPG / PNG / PSD
Resolution: 350dpi or higher for card designs
Color mode: CMYK recommended (RGB is also accepted, but colors may shift during conversion)
For PSD files: please submit with layers preserved wherever possible.
■ About Bleed & Safe Area
・Bleed: to prevent white edges from appearing when trimmed, add 1.75mm of bleed on all four sides outside the finished size (total 89.1×57.5mm).
・Placement: important elements such as text and logos should be placed inside the finished size (85.6mm × 54mm).
・About trimming: slight variation can occur during the trimming process. Please allow some margin when placing your design.
Important Notes
・If there are issues with your submitted artwork, printing and finishing may be delayed.
・Once the final design is approved, changes or cancellations cannot be accepted.
・RGB data is converted to CMYK during printing, so colors may shift.
・We cannot guarantee an exact color match in the finished product. Thank you for your understanding.
IC & Magnetic Card Specifications
(Functional Cards / Add-on Options)
■ IC Cards (Contactless Type)
■ Magnetic Cards (Magnetic Stripe)
Notes for IC & Magnetic Card Production
Please note the following when producing functional cards.
- Fixed placement: IC chips and magnetic stripes can only be placed at our standard specified position.
- System compatibility: if using these cards with an existing system, please test compatibility with your actual hardware in advance.
- Encoding data: if IC/magnetic encoding (writing data) is required, please submit it in text or CSV format.
- Specification changes: once your order is finally approved, changes to the IC chip type or magnetic specification cannot be accepted.
ID Card Specifications (Employee/Student ID, Variable-Print Cards)
■ Portrait Photo Specifications
* We may ask you to resubmit low-resolution or blurry photos. Thank you for your understanding.
■ Variable Information (Individual Printing)
We support individual printing of the following items.
Name / Employee No. / Student No.
Department / Title
Expiration Date
2D barcode (QR code, etc.) / Serial number
Other custom text
■ Submission Format
Roster data: CSV / Excel (please create with 1 row = 1 card)
Character encoding: UTF-8 is recommended to prevent garbled text.
Notes for ID Card Production
- Character handling: a mix of Japanese (JIS Level 1/2) and alphanumeric characters is supported. Please let us know in advance about any special characters.
- Change restrictions: once print content is finally approved, changes cannot be accepted.
- Personal data protection: personal data such as submitted photos and rosters is used only for card production, shipping, and necessary support, and is managed appropriately in accordance with our privacy policy.
- Confidentiality: we strictly manage all information entrusted to us in accordance with our privacy policy.
04 Notes on SubmissionSettings to avoid, recommended settings, and data checks
Notes When Creating Your Artwork
■ Things to Avoid
- Submitting in RGB color mode (colors may shift)
- Low-resolution images (under 200dpi)
- Lines that are too thin (under 0.1pt)
- Text that is too small (under 6pt)
- Placing important information in the bleed area
■ Recommended Settings
- Create in CMYK color mode
- 350dpi or higher for card designs, 300dpi or higher for photos
- Outline all text
- Create artwork including 1.75mm of bleed
- Place important information within the safe area
Pro tip:
Our specialist staff will run a quick check on your submitted data. In the rare case we find a significant issue that would affect printing, we'll contact you before printing or finishing begins, so you can rest assured.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if there's an issue with my design data?
+Our staff will run a quick check to confirm your submitted data is suitable for printing. If we find a significant issue such as insufficient resolution or un-outlined text, we'll contact you before printing or finishing begins. Please note that fixing issues may delay the start of printing/finishing, so please create your artwork according to the submission guide.
Can I make changes after submitting my artwork?
+Yes, changes are possible before final design approval. Once approved, the order moves into printing/finishing, so changes or cancellations can no longer be accepted. Please review individual-print (variable data) content especially carefully before approving.
Can I review the finished design before printing?
+Yes, you can. We'll show you the finished design online or as a PDF, and printing/finishing begins only after your final approval.
Can I order even if I don't have a design?
+Yes. Even without design data, if you tell us what you'd like on the card and how it will be used, we'll create a design proposal for free with a layout suited to your use case.
Can I use data created on a smartphone?
+Generally, yes. We recommend 350dpi or higher for full-card design images, and 300dpi or higher at actual print size for employee card photos. When shooting with a smartphone, please avoid digital zoom and shoot in a well-lit location.
Can I order using only an AI-generated reference image and a logo?
+Yes. Please send us your original logo data, the AI reference image, and the correct text to appear on the card. If you have other assets such as photos, please include those as well.
Will the AI reference image be printed as-is?
+No. AI images are used as reference material to confirm the design direction. We create the actual print-ready artwork using your correct logo and text, adjusted for card size, resolution, and bleed.
What should I enter into a generative AI tool?
+Tell it the card's intended use, your preferred colors and mood, the content you want on it, and the logo position. Specifying "a photo-realistic mockup image" or "a flat design of the card surface" makes it easier to communicate what you have in mind. See our Guide to Using Generative AI for details.
Will the color on screen match the printed color exactly?
+Because monitors (RGB) and actual printing (CMYK) represent color differently, some difference may occur. Due to the nature of printing, an exact color match cannot be guaranteed — thank you for your understanding. This effect is more pronounced for artwork submitted in RGB.
Can IC or magnetic card specifications be changed after ordering?
+Once your order is finally approved, changes to the IC chip type or magnetic stripe specification cannot be accepted. If using these cards with an existing system, please test compatibility with your actual hardware in advance.
What format should encoding data be submitted in?
+If you need data written (encoded) to an IC chip or magnetic stripe, please submit it in text or CSV format. If linking it to a roster list, you can also specify it within an Excel file.
How are ID card photos and personal information managed?
+Personal data such as photos and rosters you provide is used only for card production, shipping, and necessary support, and is managed appropriately in accordance with our privacy policy. If you have specific requests regarding how your data is handled, please contact us in advance.