DREAM IT. DESIGN IT. DO IT.

At Codra, we understand that every project begins with a vision. Whether you're creating a planner, journal, calendar, or other stationery, our goal is to bring your ideas to life. Here’s how our printing process works: 1. Initial Contact: Let’s Talk About Your Vision Simply tell us what you’re looking for. The more details you provide, the better we can tailor our support to meet your needs. Head over on our page and click on “Get a Quote” to get started or email us at sales@codra.com .  2. Personalized Consultation One of our experienced team members will connect with you directly. We’ll take the time to understand your vision and idea. Our team is committed to making your experience smooth and convenient. 3. Project Details & Custom Options Next, we’ll discuss the specific aspects of your project during a zoom meeting. This gives us a chance to learn more about your project and help you choose the best materials and specifications to reflect your brand and maximize the impact of your print product. 4. Quoting & Finalizing Artwork Once we’ve nailed down the project specifications, we’ll provide a detailed quote. We also ask that you submit your final artwork files, typically in print-ready PDF format. Our team reviews every file to ensure they meet the necessary printing standards. 5. Proofing for Accuracy Before we move into mass production, we go through a few steps which includes the proofing process to make sure you are satisfied before moving forward. Each stage is overseen by our production team and we only move forward once we have your approval. 6. Production Begins Once everything has been finalized with your final approval, the real fun begins! Your project enters the manufacturing phase and it is one step closer to being at your door step! 7. Shipping After production, we coordinate the logistics to get your products where they need to be delivered. We’ll keep you informed throughout the shipping process and provide tracking updates. 8. Delivery Finally, all your patience and hard work has paid off!  Your passion project has now arrived at your doorstep and your vision h as now become reality.  After you have inspected everything and approved, now it’s time to get your book out in the world! Ready to get started?   Contact us  today and let’s bring your next project to life!

If you are in the print and publishing world, you have recently been hit with some bad news – tariffs!!! Whether you are dealing with planners that now face 45% tariffs or books with 20% tariffs, receiving this kind of news can be overwhelming. Here is what we recommend. 1. Go ahead and let it out. If you need to scream do it in a soundproof room. If you need to punch something then find a fluffy pillow. Maybe go for a run or lift some weights. It is okay to feel frustration and anger. Let it out and let it go! 2. Next, take a deep breath and just breath. Calm down, slow the heart rate, give yourself the ability to think clearly. Close your eyes and take five deep breaths. We promise you will feel better. 3. Now let’s focus on what we can control. We cannot change the law but we are in control of a few of things. a. First, let’s control our attitude. It is easy to stay frustrated and angry. But keep in mind that EVERYONE is going through the same thing. So stay positive and remember that this nightmare will pass and the sun will shine tomorrow. When we are positive, we will think clearly and make better decisions. b. Second, count your blessings. Make a short list of everything you’re thankful for – family, friends, a job, food, shelter, hobbies, the list goes on… When you focus on the good, the bad news is really not that bad. c. Third, consider moving your production. China has been a leading supplier for printed materials. They offer quality and competitive pricing. But other countries have great printing too. And now with tariffs, making a move now may make sense. d. Finally, consider passing a price increase to your customers. While no one likes to do this, it happens. Just look at the rising costs of food and everyday items. Nobody likes an increase but people understand because everybody is feeling the pinch and it is unavoidable. Codra has been serving clients for over 40 years and counting. If you need help or a listening ear, we would be happy to hear from you. Please feel free to reach out to us at sales@codra.com to schedule a call. Have a great day and remember to be grateful! - Your friends at Codra

Skimp on your files —low-quality files will ruin even the best planner. Underestimate your vision —creativity helps your product stand out against the competition. Don't hold back on the creative vision for how your product will work. Tame your designs —just like the functionality, make your Pass on lay-flat binding —the usefulness of the planner requires the ability to write well. Don't make the mistake of bypassing the lay-flat ability. Avoid lamination on the cover —planners get tossed around, thrown in bags, and in the path of morning coffee spills. Protect the beauty and durability of your product. Skip the sample process —you should always hold your product in your hand to see how it will feel for your customers. Omit feedback from the production team —the more information and transparency in the process, the better the product will be. Imporpoerly prepare your files —crop and bleed marks are absolutely necessary for any print production. If you leave them out, you’ll lose time in your schedule remaking them, again. Forget to highlight your brand in the design —customers regularly miss out on incredible brand marketing opportunities by not at least including it in the cover design. Forget the country of origin mark on the back cover —this is actually required and could cost you a lot of time and money in reprints if forgotten. The good news? You don't have to make those mistakes... Ready to create an excellent planner the right way? Contact us here , and let's create something great together.

There are hundreds of cover materials to choose from, such as PU (polyurethane leather), linen (cloth), paper, goatskin, cowhide, fabric, et al You can choose between printing in black, CMYK, or Pantone ink There is a wide variety of options to package your planner (2 piece, clamshell, slide out) You can add foil stamping, embossed or debossed logos, and insets to almost anything Bindings come in all shapes and sizes: —You can go case bound for a timeless look —Twin ring (wire O) for a functional feel —Lay-flat for a smooth writing surface —Ribbons and snap-ins are a great addition Coatings add protection & texture to paper covers—Matte, Gloss, Scuff-Free, Soft Touch Poly bags or shrink wrap add another layer of defense in transit You get a plain, white sample of your planner before you print When you see your pre-advanced copy in person, your eyes light up The savings for overseas printing are huge Planner printing is much easier than you think, especially with the right partner... Ready for a collaborative partner to help you create the perfect planner to enhance your brand? Contact us here , and let's create something great together.

Planners are unjustly and regularly mistreated. (Cue Sarah McLachlan’s “ In the Arms of the Angels ”...) At the beginning of the year, they’re treasured & prioritized, helpful tools in the hands of hopeful bearers with plans for a year of growth and improvement. Lovingly consulted throughout the day, they’re trusted friends and confidants. Over time, however, the relationships cool and often sour, leaving drawers filled with rejected, dejected, and barely utilized planners, waiting to once again bask in the buzz of fluorescent lights and feel the joyful flow of ink-based prose across its forgotten pages. It’s sad, really. That said, there is a notable argument regarding planner design, partly because if they are set aside for a while, large parts of them could end up being wasted. The argument? Dated or undated as part of your design. So here are the pros and cons of both. Include Dates in a Planner Pros A dated planner contains the preprinted dates for a specific calendar year (e.g. 2023 calendar). Including the dates provides automatic structure, based on the exact day of the week, month, and year that the planner covers. There’s no filling in days or dates, so it’s immediately ready for the user to simply jump in and add their schedule. It’s really meant to ba product that can be bought and immediately put to use. From the point of a creator and seller, you could create a loyal customer base of annual customers. Undated Pros An undated planner contains no specific dates, but is instead left to users to fill out as they’d like. This provides an extremely customizable planner for the user. The user has a ton of flexibility, able to define the way they want certain spaces to be used. For example, the planner could be shaped to include some of the functions of a journal, opting to use the extra pages to write more information down since there are no dates on the page. Technically, the planners usually still cover a calendar year (ish), but they could be used to only cover certain parts of the year as they are needed (such as for a student or someone whose work is seasonal) and stretch out for more. These types of planners could also be reused if pencils or erasable pens are used inside. For the seller, these are marketable qualities. Dated Cons Given that the planner is specific to the year that it is in, it is generally only good for that point in time. From a seller’s standpoint, this can limit your market. Otherwise, you’ll need to make sure you keep your brand clearly in front of your customer base so they remember you for the beginning of the next year. Undated Cons Undated planners essentially mean more work for the end user, since they will be the ones filling out each date and day of the week all year. If the user is short on time and wants something ready to go, this could be a deal breaker since it requires more set up time and effort. Interestingly, to date or not to date is a fairly polarizing argument. Most people like one or the other, or they buy different planners for differing applications. Therein lies the possibility for another opportunity—your brand of planner in both dated and undated versions. The best of both worlds! Ready for a collaborative partner to help you create an amazing calendar or other product to please your customers and enhance your brand? Contact us here , and let's create something great together.

The “side hustle” has become a staple in the American vocabulary and common in practice in recent years. Especially with so many people working remotely, people are seizing the opportunity to take advantage of extra time to pursue something on the side, searching for a bit of income—a little freedom. Printed products can offer you opportunities to start or grow your side hustle, with a little strategic planning. With that, you just may find a potential new business venture to increase your own bottom line. There are so many options from which you can choose, from simple stationary to more complex offerings, like journals to calendars and planners to books. Once you have your idea in mind and a design in hand, that’s where a committed printing partner comes into play. With that in mind, let’s talk numbers. For a quality planner, you’re looking at roughly $7-$15 a unit in production costs (keep in mind this is a very rough estimate. Ultimately, price will be determined based on specs, shipping zip code, unit count, and quality of materials). You’d need to spend somewhere between $7,000-$15,000 up front to manufacture the product for a 1,000 unit minimum order count. Plus, you’ll have shipping costs, marketing costs, design fees, and a few other miscellaneous costs. Once you get those in the hands of satisfied customers, you’re looking at a potential profit of somewhere in the $15k-30k range . That’s quite a haul, especially considering you didn’t even have to quit your day job! You ready?! If you have dreamed of a side hustle and creating custom stationery for your customers fits the bill, this is your year. Don’t let another 12 months go by without checking it out. Contact us here , and let's create something great together.

Every brand is always searching for another way to get its name into people's minds and conversations and its products in people's hands. Pens—though they admittedly may seem a little cliché—are literally a simple, cost-effective way to do both. Pens are a great standalone product or an easy add-on, and they've stood the test of time as an incredible promotional product. "Why pens?" you might ask. And that's a good question. Second to wearables (shirts, hats, etc), pens are the most highly purchased and utilized promotional marketing tool on the market. Why? Well... They're used almost everywhere every day. Though so much of our lives has moved into the digital world, we're not a paperless society. We still use pens. In schools, workplaces, places of worship, banks and other businesses. And what's the first thing we do when we reach for a pen? Read what's written on it. People regularly keep promotional items given to them by businesses for up to 2 years. Imagine how many times your brand name will work its way into their memories over that time. And consumers also admit they they will most likely give the brand whose name they've been seeing on those items the first shot when purchasing in their niche. There are a number of other reasons you might choose to add pens to your list of products, add them onto another product, or just order them to give away, but a very powerful reason is cost. Pens are effective, but they're also highly cost-efficient. Even nice pens—and you should not buy cheap ones, because the effectiveness of the pen will be tied to your brand—are relatively inexpensive when bought in bulk. If you pursue the route of creating a nice pen for your customers, you want something that represents your brand well. Here are a few features available that will help you choose the correct pen for you and your customers. Pen While pens come in a variety of styles, there are a few that stand out compared to others and run the gamut, price-wise. Montblanc, Lamy, Pilot, Platinum Preppy, Uni-Ball, and Zebra all boast top ranking pen styles. Typically, there are 4 categories of pen styles: gel, rollerball, ballpoint, and fountain pens. The pen body will either be made of metal, plastic, or wood, and may have a click point mechanism, pen and cap, or a twist-style body. Tip For the tip, one can select between medium tip, fine tip, or extra fine tip. The most common options are fine tips, especially if this will be used for journaling or drawing. Extra fine tips may be recommended for artwork where the writer needs crisp lines. Medium points are most generic and are recommended if someone is looking for a “one-size-fits-all” style. Ink Once you have selected the pen and tip you would like, you can then choose between water based or oil based ink, as well as the color. For colored inks, pigment is typically added to a water based ink, so that would make your decision for you. Design You can design the body of the pen, as well, with options for laser, ink, or engraving. If you choose a pen body that contains a clip, your logo may also be added to it, assuming it fits the size and shape of the space. We recommend going with simple, clear text if that space is utilized. Box Not all pens come in boxes. However, if you are looking to up your product game, adding a box can not only create a feeling of luxury, but also increase the value of your pen. Typically, pen boxes will come with either a plastic or foam insert to hold the pen in place, while the outside can be matte art paper wrapped over a plastic cover. The box also offers more real estate to feature your brand’s designs and logo for further brand recognition. In short, pens are a great investment if you’re looking to expand your line with something memorable that won’t break the bank. Reach out to us to discuss pen options for your brand! Ready to create the perfect product to please your customers and enhance your brand? Contact us here , and let's create something great together.

The move to digital formats for study purposes is not a new phenomenon. But the last couple of years have certainly fueled the move, as post-pandemic learning is available almost completely online. The pros and cons of online learning are discussed ad nauseum in all sorts of venues, and everyone has their own opinions and preferences. That begs the question, then, why would we still make print products? There are a few reasons... Print Helps You Study Better According to an article from Forbes, printed products help your brain retain more information. When you see something on paper, it literally takes up more room in your spatial memory. In other words your brain sees the information and says, “that’s real” more so than it would seeing the information on a screen. While digital textbooks may have the appeal of being easier to transport, your brain prefers a printed textbook even if your arms and backpack do not. Keeps Everyone Organized and on the Same Page Printing does not have to be limited to textbooks. Planners are a huge help for students taking multiple lectures and classes. Certainly, digital tools are useful to keep people on schedule, but how many students have missed information because they didn’t see it online or they missed a notification in the portal. Planners are also a great tool to provide include some history of the school or other reminders about the place students have chosen to undertake their studies in a location where they'll see it regularly. And they can provide important information about class details that students will be sure not to miss. Branding Students love to support and share about their school experience. Calendars, planners, and other print products are the perfect way to do that. Useful tools and gifts printed with your university's branding are an incredible way to create brand ambassadors of all of your students. Don't miss the opportunity to take advantage of these tools for your university and your students. Ready to create the product to please your customers and enhance your brand? Contact us here , and let's create something great together.

Finding just the right manufacturing fit for your business is strenuous. Selecting a production company that understands the importance of small details on a product can be a struggle, which is exactly where The Art of Etiquette (AofE) found itself at the beginning of the process with CōDRA. Having gone through multiple rounds of testing with other printing partners to no avail, AofE came to Codra with a task and a dream. When people dream of their wedding day, one of the most important words that come to mind is “vow.” Like an invisible string, vows knit together the hearts of people in love, tethering them together for a lifetime. The Art of Etiquette understands the significance of these vows and created an entire product line dedicated to preserving the integrity of that special moment at the altar to recognize all celebrations of love. Product Story To help bring this incredible product to life, CōDRA worked closely with AofE to find the right plant to ensure her products were of the highest quality. CōDRA was instrumental in helping to locate the finest fabrics, papers, and foils to uphold the luxury brand. Additionally, their expertise in packable design was of great value as AofE wanted to ensure a stellar first impression with a gift box to house their premium products. The CōDRA team paid meticulous attention to detail at every stage of the process and has served as an extension to the AofE team to assist in creating the flawless look for the most discerning couples. Let CōDRA help you design and manufacture the perfect product to delight your clientele. Contact us here .

Congrats! You successfully executed your first print product run. Production ran with relatively few hiccups, your marketing campaign was a success, and clients are raving about your product. Well done! You’re ready to create more items, so you need to save as much time as possible running your first reprint of the initial product. Here are a few ways to ensure it's as seamless as possible. Spec Check Since you are reprinting, you already have a proposal detailing your previous order. Now that you've sold that product, you've hopefully heard from your customers celebrating the product and offering feedback (both positive and opportunities for growth). If you haven't heard any of that, take the time to search it out. Feedback from direct end users is the most valuable you can receive as to the efficacy of your product. Take time to review all feedback as well as your own internal thoughts on tweaks, changes, upgrades, or updates you might make to the product to improve it or even just update it a bit for a second run. If the main components of the product are receiving stellar reviews, but you want to make a simple change or two so the new run stands out a bit, try considering these tweaks: Stay with the same fabric family but swap shades for different colors Change the colors of the binding Upgrade to soft-touch lamination for a luxurious texture on paper covers Add texture to your gift box for a high-end feel Add metal corner pieces, a ribbon, bookmark, or pocket for alternative enhancements Files Once you have finalized any changes to your specs, it's time to finalize the files with the printer. Unless you change the dimensions, you should have all the measurements in place from the previous run. If you do change the sizing of your product, ask your printer rep for a new template. Once you have these in place, gather your files and submit them in one place (ex: DropBox, WeTransfer, Google Drive) for review by the printer. Proofing If this is a straight reprint, proofing should be very speedy. If you are truly in a time crunch, you may be able to skip the dummy step ( blank printing sample that is used to check the final interior paper, binding method, cover paper, book thickness and book size etc.) , provided the dimensions and specs have not changed. If they have, you should at least have a better idea of what to expect when it comes to the process, which will allow you to plan ahead. Time Frame While the production and transit time will be standard—likely the same as your first order, by following these steps you are increasing your chances of a stress free printing process. Here's what you can expect for a standard reprint: No Spec Changes: Plan for 3.5-4 months Spec Changes: Plan for 4-5 months These guidelines are, of course, rough estimates, but it gives you a reference point for sake of planning. Timing isn’t everything, but it’s important. If you're ready to re-run your product and create some excitement for your customers, contact us here , and let's create something great together.