FOLDING
> accordion
This is a zigzag type fold, where one long piece of paper has 2 or more folds that allows the paper to extend to full length in 1 pull. Each piece folds back on itself, creating the accordion look. It is useful for direct mailers, as it does not need any binding.
> mock book
In this type of folding, a single, long sheet in such a way that it looks like a book. This ‘mock’ book has a cover, and several pages, that fold back onto each other. It is useful when a book format is needed, but binding is either too heavy (direct mailers) or too expensive.
> gate
In a gatefold, a sheet is folded back on itself twice, in order to form a 2-way gate. The middle section is exactly twice the size of the two side panels. This is used for large ads and book covers, where the side panels serve as the sleeve.
> double gated
This is an extension of the simple gatefold. Once the two side sections have been folded into the middle, the middle section is folded down the centre, along the line where the two side sections meet. Can be used as a centre fold in a magazine, often as a pull out poster.
> back & front
This makes one sheet act as both the pages and cover of a brochure. The sections on either side of the central panel fold first back to the middle of the central panel, then forward to the edge, and lastly around the front, making wing-like sections, that act as the cover. This is helpful for brochures.
> half-cover
In this technique, the sheet is folded into an accordion, except that the penultimate panel creates a cover, while the last panel is half the size of the others, and forms half a front cover.
> duelling z-fold
Both ends of the sheet are folded towards the middle and double size central panel. This creates a gate-like front section, and many printable panels of different sizes, and is useful for flyers, brochures, programmes and direct mailers.
> self cover
In this technique the first two panels form the cover, and the rest fold backwards into it to act as pages. This creates a book-like brochure, and saves on binding and stapling.
> triple parallel
In this we fold the sheet into six panels, with three parallel folds. The back of the sheet is folded to create a cover for the pages, and is most useful for brochures, since it saves paper and binding costs.
> mountain & valley
This is most often used for greeting cards. The technique involves folding the sheet from the top, so that it forms the silhouette of a mountain when placed with the crease facing
the ceiling.
> perforated
This technique can be used in conjunction with almost any of the above, and incorporates a perforation along to fold, to enable pieces of the sheet to be detached neatly and easily.
> french
This is similar to the Mountain & Valley fold, in that the main crease points up, but the sheet is folded in half again, perpendicularly to the initial fold, to make a double flap card. This is useful for greeting cards, and when die cutting, as it creates a background against which to contrast the cuts.