Z-fold or gatefold: do you know the difference?

You’ve ordered a new batch of leaflets to advertise your business, but then your print company asks you how you would like them folded. 

How did you know there were so many choices? From a simple central fold to a z-fold or gatefold, and beyond to more complex, creative folds.

The ‘fold’ refers to the area on a printed piece where the paper is folded. It is usually used for leaflets or cards and, depending on the print run volume, is usually automated by machine rather than done by hand.

There is a wide selection of folded leaflets available, such as gloss, silk, or uncoated materials in weights from 100gsm to 170gsm (grams per square metre). If you choose a thicker 170gsm, it will likely be creased and folded to protect the ink and provide a smooth fold.

If you are looking for a thicker paper or board – anything from 300gsm to 400gsm, that’s also possible, but it may well be supplied flat, ready for you to fold yourself.

Let’s look at the most popular folding options, including z-fold and gatefold.

Cross fold.

The cross fold (also known as the right angle or the French fold) is folded at a right angle. The sheet is first folded horizontally, then vertically. This creates two creases in the form of a cross, making it 8-sided, with 4 pages on the inside and 4 on the outside.

Double parallel fold.

The double parallel fold is a fold that is folded in half and then in half again, creating eight panels (four on either side) with three-fold creases.

Gate fold.

The gatefold uses two parallel folds to create six panels – three panels on each side of the paper. The left and right panels are half the width of the centre panels and fold inward to meet in the middle without overlapping.

Roll fold.

The roll fold is where each page folds in on itself to produce a trifold leaflet, such as a one-third A4 or a DL. An A4 sheet is folded into three sections: the right-hand page is folded inward, then folded in again. Because each page must be progressively smaller than the previous one, the artwork needs to be set up accurately. Depending on the paper thickness, you can do a half-fold, which is then roll-folded.

Single fold.

The single fold is the simplest type of fold, where the sheet is folded once in the middle. If you take an A4 sheet and fold it in half, you end up with an A5 folded leaflet. For this reason, it is often called a 4pp A5.

Z-fold.

The z-fold, also known as a zig-zag fold, looks like an accordion, especially when it has more than 6 pages. Each page is the same size, and the leaflet opens out to form one long document, allowing information to run from one page to the next.