Do you want to design an eye-catching brochure for your commercial printing project?
A factor that you should consider before designing the brochure is the brochure fold you would like to use.
The brochure fold affects the way the information is laid out and can have a significant impact on the brochure’s design.
Numerous brochure folds can either complement a design or make your brochure a disorganized mess. Each type of fold is used for a different purpose.
Before you submit your brochure design for print, consider the following brochure fold types and how they’ll affect your design.
Table of Contents
Types of Brochure Folds and Their Uses
Bi-Fold Brochure
The bi-fold brochure—also called the half-fold brochure or single fold brochure—is folded once down the middle. This gives the designer four pages to work with, one being a cover page. The standard size for a bi-fold brochure is 8.5” x 11”.
This brochure is best for product presentations because of the limited number of pages. The minimal number of pages allow businesses to entice potential customers and redirect them to a landing page for more information.
Tri-Fold Brochure
Tri-fold brochures are folded twice, with the right flap folding underneath the left one. This leaves six pages available for content. The standard size of a tri-fold brochure is 8.5” x 11”.
As the most common brochure size, the tri-fold is ideal for general use. It has more content space than the bi-fold, yet is a simple, tasteful folding style for practically any application.
Gate-Fold Brochure
Gate-fold brochures are similar to tri-fold brochures because they have three creases where the brochure folds in on itself, leaving six pages for content. However, with a gate-fold brochure, the right and left panels measure one-half of the size of the central panel. This means that the front of the folded brochure is made up of two halves. The standard size of this brochure is 8.5” x 11”.
If you have a single-product presentation or a graphics-heavy design, the gate-fold brochure may be the right brochure fold for you. However, keep in mind that even though it has six pages like the tri-fold, it has less content space on the edge panels. Therefore, the gate-fold brochure holds about the same amount of information as the bi-fold brochure.
Because the central panel is larger than the side ones, when you open the brochure, it draws the eyes to the center. If you have one major piece of content you would like to display with supplementary information on the sides, the gate-fold has the perfect design.
Z-Fold Brochure
The Z-fold brochure has three creases similar to the tri-fold brochure. However, the Z-fold design folds in a zig-zag shape with the right-most panel making the cover, rather than the left-most panel. The standard size for the Z-fold brochure is 8.5” x 11”.
Just like the tri-fold brochure, the Z-fold is practical for general product presentations. It has a simple design and holds a fair amount of information.
Accordion Fold Brochure
The accordion brochure either has four or five creases that fold the leaflet in a zigzag formation, like the Z-fold brochure. This leaves you with eight or ten pages for content and images, depending on the size you need. The standard size for this brochure is 8.5” x 14”.
Because the accordion-fold brochure has more pages and a larger standard size than other brochures, it’s best used for detailed information. For instance, if you have a step-by-step tutorial for your customers or have a variety of products or services to display, the accordion fold brochure is best.
Roll Fold Brochure
Similar to the accordion brochure, the roll fold brochure has four or five creases, depending on the amount of space you would like to utilize. Unlike the accordion, however, this brochure folds in a “rolling” motion. Start by folding in the right flap in, and then the two folded flaps fold inward once again. This continues until the left-most flap makes the cover of the brochure. The standard size for this brochure is 8.5” x 14”.
Because the roll fold brochure folds so many times, it can be bulkier than other brochures. Like the accordion fold brochure, this fold type has eight to ten pages available for content and images. Therefore, it’s best used for detailed, content-rich handouts, such as a step-by-step guide or an informational booklet.
French Fold Brochure
The french fold brochure is one of the unique folds. It is folded in half twice, dividing the brochure into four panels. The standard size for the french fold is 8.5” x 14”.
Rather than having four separate pages on the inside of the brochure like other fold styles, the french fold often has one large image on the inside four panels. Therefore, it is commonly used for graphics-heavy designs, such as an invitation to a sales event or a map. For example, many amusement parks and large venues use french fold brochures as a map of the area.
Double Parallel Fold Brochure
The double parallel fold brochure has three creases, creating eight panels for content and images. The paper is folded in half to create two panels to create this fold. Then, the folded page is folded in half again to create two parallel bi-fold brochures in one. The standard size for this brochure is 8.5” x 14”.
This fold works best for reference material. The layout is ideal for lists of products, services, and general information. It holds more content than a tri-fold brochure, but less than a roll-fold or the parallel booklet. Therefore, if you want a general design like the tri-fold, but want as much content as the Z-fold brochure, this is a good choice.
Parallel Booklet
The parallel booklet is very similar to the double parallel fold brochure. However, this brochure folds in half three times to create sixteen panels. It doubles the size of the dual parallel fold brochure. The standard size for this brochure is 8.5” x 14”.
This type of brochure has the largest number of pages available for a folded brochure. Therefore, only use a parallel booklet for large amounts of detailed information — for instance, a reference guide, informational booklet, or extensive product or services list.
Multi-Page Bound Booklet
A multi-page bound booklet is not folded like a brochure. However, it maintains the standard brochure size of 8.5” x 14”. If you would like more than sixteen pages in your brochure or would like a more organized, page-by-page style, the multi-page bound booklet is ideal.
This style is best for informational purposes, such as a guide. If you would like to list content in a particular order throughout the brochure, a bound style will enable you to do that. Thus, the multi-page bound booklet is a great way to organize information alphabetically, chronologically, or in some other fashion.
Print Your Custom Brochures with the Right Printing Company
Now that you know of the various brochure folds, it’s time to design and print them. To do that, you’ll need to partner with an experienced printing company. When you use high-quality printing practices, you can boost your company’s reputation.
The Print Authority can make your vision a reality ! The premier printing company has a full array of graphic design services to help you develop the concept, create the design, have consistent branding, design a logo, and so much more!
Whether you decide to use digital or offset printing, The Print Authority utilizes modern printing techniques to give you the highest quality at the low prices. In fact, their green printing practices lower prices for you and help the environment!
Additionally, if you use digital printing, you have the option to print-on-demand. With print-on-demand, you can order prints when you need them, avoiding pesky backorders, cancellation or destruction fees, and storage costs. This means you can change your order at any time without paying additional fees. If you need a steady stream of brochures ordered, print-on-demand is an efficient way to save money.
Need brochures fast? In many cases, The Print Authority can print your orders the same day or next day, and standard shipping only takes one or two days in many states.
With top quality designs and prints, as well as exceptional customer service, The Print Authority is the best place to order whatever brochure fold you want. To start an order, contact them today!
