When we first designed the Starfall Catastrophe cards, we focused on the artwork, the layout, and the balance of information. What we didn’t realize early on was how critical printing zones are for professional TCG production. These invisible margins—bleed, trim, and safe zones—make the difference between a clean, centered card and one that looks slightly off after cutting.

Here’s a quick guide to what they mean and how we adjusted our designs to meet the OCC printing standards used by major card printers.

Bleed Zone (Red)

The bleed is the area that extends beyond the card’s final cut size.

When cards are printed on large sheets, they are trimmed with industrial blades that can vary slightly—by as much as 0.3 mm. To prevent any white edges from appearing, all background artwork must extend 3 mm beyond the trim line on every side.

In other words, if the card’s final size is 63×88 mm, the design file should actually be 69×94 mm including bleed. This ensures true edge-to-edge color after cutting.

Trim Line (Blue)

The trim line marks the exact edge of the finished card—the point where the blade will cut.

Everything outside this line will be removed. It defines the final visible size of your card, but it’s not always precise enough for layout—especially when alignment matters on both sides.

That’s why you never place critical elements directly on or near the trim line.

Safe Zone (Green)

The safe zone is your design’s safety buffer.

Keep all text, icons, logos, and key design elements at least 3 mm inside the trim line. This guarantees that no part of your important content is lost or clipped if the blade shifts slightly during trimming.

Our Redesign

When we produced the first Starfall Catastrophe test prints, some icons and frame edges came dangerously close to the cut line. Once we learned the full OCC printing layout, we rebuilt every card using:

  • 3 mm bleed zone (outer red area)
  • 63×88 mm trim zone (final cut)
  • 59×84 mm safe zone (inner green area)

This small but crucial change brought all cards up to professional TCG print standard, ensuring they look perfect even after mass production and cutting.

Why It Matters

Bleed, trim, and safe zones are invisible in the final product—but they define print quality.

By aligning Starfall Catastrophe with the OCC-CMYK-350G-BLACKCORE-63×88 standard, we’ve ensured every deck—from Doctor Boon’s Freeborn faction to the upcoming Nyra Elemental Flame deck—meets the same precision as leading global TCGs.

Final Thoughts

Good design isn’t just about art—it’s about anticipating the mechanics of production.

Now, each Starfall Catastrophe card you hold is printed to exacting standards, balanced not just in gameplay—but in every millimeter of its construction.