Custom Index Tabs
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Custom Index Tabs are designed to compliment your document and provide a professional and classy touch. With custom sheet and tab sizes, paper stocks, colored Mylar coatings, reinforced binding edges, collating, and packaging, we can make your custom index tabs any way you please.
Custom index tabs are often used for projects, records, charts, handbooks, catalogs, booklets, and many other documents that need an easy indexing solution. With dozens of different colors, there are plenty of custom index tabs for binders available here.
All of Skyline's custom index tabs are made with the latest top quality index tab manufacturing equipment. This gives us the ability to provide the highest level of precision and ensure flawless tabs, every time.
STEP 1: Choose the Sheet Size & Tab Extension:
Choosing the sheet size is easy. Your tab sheet needs to be the same size as the sheets filed with the tabs. When specifying sheet size, it’s a good idea to distinguish the height and width and to indicate which dimension is the binding edge, that is, the side with the hole punching in it. For example, state your tab sheet size as 11" high x 8-1/2" wide, with the binding edge on the 11" side.
The tab extension is the width measurement of the tab. If your sheet size is 11" high x 8-1/2" wide, with the binding edge on the 11" side and a 1/2" tab extension, the tabs will extend 1/2" from the 11" side of the sheet. The standard tab extension is 1/2".
Note: Make sure that the ring binder or report cover that will hold your contents and tabs has an allowance for the width of your index tabs. You want to be sure your tabs don’t stick out of your cover. For example, if the sheet size is 11" x 8-1/2", binding edge on the 11" side with a 1/2" tab extension, your report cover will need to be at least 9" wide to conceal the tabs. On a ring binder, the cover would need to project at least an inch beyond the outer edge of the regular pages mounted on the rings.
STEP 2: Cut, Set, & Bank:
Now you can determine the tab cut, the number of tab sets, the number of tabs in each set, the number of banks and the number tabs in each bank. This may seem confusing, but the examples at the end of this section will help pull this all together.
First, let’s look at tab cut. Cut is one tab’s proportion of a sheet. For example, a 1/5 cut tab on an 11" h x 8-1/2" w, binding edge on the 11" side sheet means that five tabs will fit the length of 11 inches. A 1/5 cut tab on an 8-1/2" h x 5-1/2" w, binding edge on the 8" side sheet means that five tabs will fit the length of 8-1/2 inches.
A tab set is a complete group of tabs. It is all your index tabs from your first tab to the last;. For example, you have a sales kit with eight tabs. Each sales kit will get a tab set, that is, all eight tabs.
A bank of tabs is a group of consecutive tabs that make up the length of your sheet.
An example should help clarify this. Let’s say you are putting together 100 sales kits with eight tabs each. Regardless of tab arrangement, you will need 100 sets of eight tabs for a total of 800 tabs. The eight tabs can be produced in several ways.
STEP 3: Select Tab Copy Style & Typeface:
Tab Copy Styles:
Below is an illustration of the standard tab copy styles. The amount of copy to appear on each tab as well as the holder for the tabs determine which tab copy style works best. For example, use hanger tab style D for easel or platform binders. For very short copy, such as a letter or a number, consider using Style B.
Also consider printing on both sides of the tabs. This makes them useful whether the reader is in the front or the back of the binder. Printing on both sides of the tabs is standard for all Skyline index tabs. Most hanger tabs (landscape) will print read-out, read-in.
Tab Typefaces:
The tab typeface should coordinate with the other typefaces in the piece you are putting together. Look at the typefaces used on the content pages and the cover to find a compatible type match.
STEP 4: Consider Several Tab Options:
Mylar Colors:
Mylar is a trademarked plastic product. The clear or colored transparent Mylar coating is applied to the tab and helps protect it from wear. It also makes them rigid for easy flipping. Use colored Mylar to help different sections to stand out. Choose a Mylar color which best complements the other contents and the cover. Skyline does not require an addon charge for colored mylar.
Paper Stock and Color:
Skyline standard tab sheets are 90# or 110# white index stock. Other index colors include blue, canary, cherry, green, gray, manila and salmon. Check with one of our service representatives regarding other colors and weights.
Body Printing or Body Copy:
Body printing refers to printing on the body of the tab sheet, in contrast to printing on the tab extension. A company logo or project design printed on the tab sheet will dress up the tabs and tie them in to the design of the entire piece.
Ink Color:
Other ink colors besides black are available. A PMS ink color match can be done to match a logo or design color.
Reinforced Binding Edge:
Skyline tabs are reinforced along the binding edge with a 9/16" clear Mylar strip. This keeps the tabs from tearing when the pages are turned. This is not standard with all tab manufacturers.
Punching:
Standard punching for tabs is 3 round holes, 5/16" diameter, to fit a 3-ring binder. You can specify different punching or no punching.
Collating:
If you have numerous tabs, you may want to have the tabs collated into sets. Then you are ready to put them in your binders without sorting them.
Shrink-wrapping:
Shrink-wrapping the sets in plastic wrap is another alternative. This keeps the tabs together, helps reduce wear on the sheets and keeps dust and dirt off them. Shrink-wrapping is especially good for tabs that will be shipped a long distance or stored for a period of time.*
GLOSSARY:
Bank: A bank of tabs is a group of consecutive tabs that make up the length of your sheet.
Binding Edge: The side of a sheet to be used for hole punching or binding.
Body Copy: Body printing refers to printing on the body of the tab sheet, in contrast to printing on the tab extension.
Cut: Cut is one tab’s proportion of a sheet. For example, a 1/5 cut tab on an 11" h x 8-1/2" w, binding edge on the 11" side sheet means that five tabs will fit the length of 11".
Collating: To assemble tabs in their proper final order, from the first tab to the last.
Extension: The tab extension is the width measurement of the tab. If your sheet size is 11" h x 8-1/2" w, binding edge on the 11" side with a 1/2" tab extension, the tabs will extend a 1/2" from the 11" side of the sheet. The standard tab extension is 1/2".
Mylar: Mylar is a trademarked plastic product that is applied to the tab. This transparent plastic can be clear or colored.
PMS: A system of mixing and identifying ink colors by number. The initials stand for Pantone® Matching System.
Position: The location of a tab in a bank. For example, the "APR" tab shown below is in the 4th position in this bank of eight tabs.
Set: A tab set is a complete group of tabs. It is all your index tabs from the first tab to the last. For example, you have a sales kit with eight tabs. Each sales kit will get a tab set, that is, all eight tabs.
Tab: The projecting part of a sheet used for filing.
Typeface: The design of type.
Index Tab Dividers options:
- Custom Sheet Sizes
- Custom Paper Stocks
- Custom Tab Sizes
- Custom Colored Mylar on Tabs
- Custom Reinforced Binding Edge
- Custom Punching and Drilling
- Custom Collating
- Custom Packaging
- Call 1-866-455-9900 for a Free Estimate
Our friendly Custom Index Tab Specialists are happy to answer any questions and get you the best custom tabs for your binding, sorting, and organizational needs. Call us at 1-866-455-9900 today!
Custom Index Tab Examples | |
Custom Collation and Packaging
| Custom Tab Sizes, Punching, and Clear & Frost Options
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Custom Index Tab Sizes, Paper Stocks, and Numbering
| Custom Colored Mylar Tabs & Reinforced Binding Edge
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* Call for a free quote on custom index tabs: 1-866-455-9900 *