Custom Name Badge Artwork Guidelines

Submitting artwork shouldn’t feel like another job. Whether you're a designer, office manager or event planner on deadline, this guide makes it easy to get your badge artwork print-ready—especially for our seed paper & recycled paper surfaces.

Please submit your draft artwork a few days before your order deadline - we’ll help fine-tune it for clarity, alignment & impact.

Name Badge Artwork Guidelines - In 3 Simple Steps

Step 1: Front of Name Badge

1) Design Guidelines

Badge Size: (see measurement visuals)

  • A7 = 7.4 cm x 10.4 cm

  • A6 = 10.4 cm x 14.7 cm

Lanyard Hole Placement:

  • Two-hole: leave 1.5 cm from top, 3 cm apart

  • One-hole: center it 1.5 cm from the top

Best Practices for Design & Readability

  • Make Names Stand Out: Use BIG, bold first names (min 36 pt). They should be readable from 1-3 meters away.

  • Choose Clear Fonts: Sans-serif fonts (e.g., Montserrat, Arial, Helvetica) are highly recommended. Serif fonts impact readability.

  • Use High Contrast: Dark text on a light background ensures maximum legibility.

Critical Design Rules for Our Handmade Paper

  • Embrace the Texture: Design with the paper's natural character, not against it.

  • 🚫 Avoid Fine Details: Avoid thin lines, intricate logos, or delicate fonts. Our handmade paper absorbs ink differently, and these details can be lost.

  • A Note on ColoUr: Dark backgrounds will appear much darker when printed (e.g., a dark navy will likely print as black).

2) One Design Per Order

  • Each order includes one design only

  • If multiple design variations are required, a new production setup is required. A $110 (incl GST) setup fee applies per additional design.

Measurements

A7 Badge Front

A7
Front Horizontal

Horizontal A7 badge artwork guide highlighting placement for guest name and logo

A7
Front Vertical

Vertical layout for A7 name badge showing front design area and print-safe margins

A6 Badge Front

A6
Front Horizontal

Horizontal design layout for A6 badges printed on seed or recycled paper

A6
Front Vertical

Vertical A6 name badge template with font sizing and artwork zone for eco paper

Need a visual reference? Check out How to Design Name Badges that Don’t Suck for ideas.

Need a template? Our Name Tag Toolkit might be what you’re after

Step 2: Back of Name Badge

1) Design Guidelines

  • 👇 SEE EXAMPLE BACK OF BADGE DESIGNS BELOW 👇

  • 🚫 No Full Colour, Solid Backgrounds or Large Colour Blocks on back

    • Keep it minimal: white background with single spot colour only (e.g. a colour logo on top of a white background)

    🚫 No Artwork Outside the Print Zone (see print zone visuals)

    • Respect the margins: Top: 2 cm, Bottom & Sides: 0.5 cm

  • 🚫 No Detailed Graphics or Fine Text

    • Avoid thin lines, intricate illustrations & tiny fonts

  • Use for sponsor logos or QR codes:
    Keep them simple & high-contrast (e.g., logo on white background)

  • Important Production Notes:

    • Printing May Shift: Because this paper is handmade, some minor shifting can occur during printing. We do not guarantee perfect centring on the back.

    • One Design Only: The back design must be the same for all badges in an order. Unique backs for each individual badge are not possible.

2) Make the Most of Your Sustainable Investment

Every Terra Tag badge is a story of sustainability: plantable, biodegradable, and designed to make an impact beyond the event. But without the QR code on the back, guests won’t know how to plant it, or that your lanyards return to the earth.

Including the QR code is powerful.
It quietly tells your guests: we care. It shows your brand walks the talk on environmental values.

No extra charge. Big environmental message.
You’ve already invested in sustainable materials - don’t miss the chance to let guests know why that matters.

👉 To include it:
Right-click the QR code image below to save and place it on the back of your badge artwork.

For Seed Paper Badges:
I’m handmade seed paper from office waste — better for events, better for the planet. Plant me!

For Recycled Paper Badges:
I’m handmade from office waste — better for the planet. Scan for recycling magic.

Measurements

A7 Badge Back

Horizontal back design for A7 name tags with spacing and print limits shown

A7 Horizontal
Safe Print Zone
(no printing in shaded zone)

A7 Vertical
Safe Print Zone
(no printing in shaded zone)

Vertical layout for A7 name badge back showing sponsor logo and QR code zones

A6 Badge Back

A6
Back Horizontal
(no printing in shaded zone)

Back of A6 name badge design in horizontal layout with QR code and white space guides

A6
Back Vertical
(no printing in shaded zone)

Eco name badge A6 back layout in vertical format with margin and logo placement

Examples of Acceptable Back of Name Badge Designs

Back of conference name badge featuring scannable QR code and full-colour event branding — ideal for seamless check-in and eco brand recall.
Back of eco name badge showing contact info, QR code and compostable material icon — sustainability meets function.

Step 3: Your Final Submission Checklist

If supplying a PDF, JPG or PNG:

  • One version of the front design with sample guest details shown exactly as you want them printed
  • One version of the front design without guest details at 600 dpi
  • The back design (if applicable)
  • Artwork must be correct size, no crop marks, bleeds or borders
  • Font name, weight, and colour values (e.g. HEX, RGB or CMYK) for each data point
  • The font files (in .ttf or .otf format) if you’re using commercial or non-standard fonts

If supplying a Canva Template - Send us the URL

If supplying InDesign files:

  • A fully set up .indd file, with either:
    • A single badge layout placed on an A4 page ready for data merge
    • Guest names already merged (8 per A4 page for A7 size, 4 per A4 page for A6)
  • Artwork must be correct size, with no crop marks, bleeds or borders
  • Do not leave elements hanging off the artboard – crop all content to fit cleanly within the badge area
  • All linked images included
  • Do not lock design elements
  • A sample PDF version showing example guest data for a quick visual check
  • Font name, weight, and colour for each data point
  • The font files (.ttf or .otf) if needed

Guest List Spreadsheet

  • File is saved in CSV (Comma Delimited) format only
  • Data is set up with one column per data point (e.g., First Name, Last Name, Organisation)
  • Single Source of Truth: The data has been carefully reviewed for correct capitalisation and spelling. We print exactly what is in this file

Let’s Make It Memorable and Sustainable

Terra Tag’s print-ready badges are made for conferences, events and businesses who care about quality and the planet. If you’re ready to go from “oh no” to “on-brand,” we’re here to help!