Design File Requirements for PVC Keychains: AI, PDF, CMYK & Bleed Explained

Design File Requirements for PVC Keychains: AI, PDF, CMYK & Bleed Explained

The quality of your finished keychain starts with the quality of your design file. Sending the wrong format can mean delays, color mismatches, or an extra round of samples. Here is exactly what a factory needs from you.

Preferred file formats

• Vector files (best): AI, EPS, PDF with outlined text, or CDR. Vector art scales cleanly and is ideal for mold-making.

• Raster files (acceptable): high-resolution PNG or PSD at 300 DPI or higher. JPG is only acceptable as a reference, never as the production file.

Color: use CMYK or Pantone

PVC is colored with pigment, not printed, so color matching works best with Pantone (PMS) codes. If you do not have PMS codes, provide CMYK values or a physical color sample. Avoid relying on screen colors — what you see on a monitor is rarely what comes out of a mold.

Bleed and safe area

For flat keychains, add 1.5–2 mm of bleed around your artwork so edge colors never show white lines after cutting. Keep critical elements (text, logos, faces) inside the safe area — roughly 1 mm from the edge — so nothing gets cut off.

What to include in your artwork package

• Front and back views, with a side view if the design has thickness.

• Each color clearly labeled with its PMS code.

• Text converted to outlines (paths), not live fonts.

• Dimensions in mm for the final keychain size.

• Attachment preference: ring, chain, clasp, or lanyard.

What happens after you send the file

The factory reviews the artwork, flags anything ambiguous, and produces a technical drawing or 3D preview for your approval. Approving this stage carefully — before any mold is cut — is the cheapest fix you will ever make.