How Many Ways Can You Fold a Sheet?

When folding a flyer, brochure, or direct mail piece, do you default to the basic half-fold or tri-fold? If so, consider that customers see those folds all the time. Why not stand out with unusual folds that really spark interest? Here are just five basic folds to get you started. If you want to extend your folding options check out this site; https://www.foldfactory.com

Accordion fold. Commonly used for maps or instructions, this fold uses a series of parallel folds so that the sheet opens like an accordion. Because a large number of panels can be folded in, accordion folds enable you to take advantage of larger paper sizes and include more information than a standard finished size. Uses include brochures, maps, and instruction panels.

Gate-fold. In the gate-fold, two sides of the paper are folded in toward the middle like two doors opening and closing. This is the “open gate-fold”. You can then fold the sheet in half at the middle line for a “closed gate-fold”. You might use this fold to create a silly greeting card or an invitation featuring doors opening into a grand ballroom. The opportunities for creativity are endless. 

Half then Tri-fold. This is a combination of the half-fold and the letter fold. In this execution, the paper is folded into four equal sections. Half of the paper is folded equally, then the folded half is tucked into a letter fold. This is great for newsletters since it allows a legal-sized sheet to be folded down into #10 envelope size in a user-friendly way. 

As they say, there is more than one way to fold a sheet. So, mix it up. Use different and interesting folds to improve functionality, enhance the design, and encourage people to interact with your pieces. If you want to make your design more interesting add a die-cut and your folding options can become even more creative for those special projects.

Print Still Works, If you want to enhance your direct mail efforts try using a unique fold.