How does artwork approval and pre-production sign-off work on multi-SKU orders?

How does artwork approval and pre-production sign-off work on multi-SKU orders?

A:Artwork clears three gates: a print-ready proof on plain paper for layout, a color-matched proof on the actual substrate for material and color, then a pre-production sample for full sign-off. Production starts only after written approval at gate three, and the approved sample stays with us as the reference for the run.

3 gatesProof, substrate, sample
Substrate proofColor on real material
Written sign-offNo approval, no run

What each gate confirms

  • Gate 1, PDF proof — text, logo placement, dimensions, and dieline.
  • Gate 2, substrate proof — color and finish on the real material, not on paper.
  • Gate 3, pre-production sample — assembly, fit, and packing checked together.
  • Changes after gate 3 — re-proof and re-sign-off, with the cost and schedule impact stated in writing.

Approve by SKU family

On a multi-SKU program, sign off the shared panel once, then approve a checklist of variable data per SKU. It cuts approval rounds sharply without turning the run into a rolling change process.

Need a proof pack before you commit?

See our sample service