What bleed should a booklet have?
You should use a bleed of 3 to 5 mm for bound booklets. This larger margin is necessary because binding processes like stitching or perfect binding cause the paper to curve, a phenomenon known as binding creep. Unlike business cards, which usually only need 1.5 to 2 mm, multi-page publications require this extra space to ensure that edge-to-edge images print fully to the trim line without exposing white slivers. Always verify the specific bleed dimension required by your printer, as it can vary based on the total page count and the type of binding used.
Sources
- ISO 536:2019 — Paper and board: determination of grammage