Brochure sizes, folds and paper in Malaysia

Brochure sizes at a glance

Malaysian printers work in the ISO paper sizes, not US Letter. Almost every brochure starts as one of three sizes.

Size	Dimensions	Common use
A4	210 x 297 mm	Flat flyer, product sheet, the unfolded sheet for tri-folds and bi-folds, multi-page booklets
A5	148 x 210 mm	Bi-fold folded size, small booklets, event programmes, handouts
DL	99 x 210 mm	Tri-fold folded size, rack cards, inserts that fit a DL envelope

A3 (297 x 420 mm) folded to A4 is the next size up. It suits a property launch or a product range that needs a large spread, but it costs more to print and post.

If you search for a “brochure template”, check the size first. Many free templates are set to US Letter (216 x 279 mm), which does not match A4 and will print with white edges or cut-off text.

Fold types

The fold decides how the reader moves through your content. Choose it before anyone writes copy.

Fold	Flat sheet	Panels	Folded size	Best for
Bi-fold (half fold)	A4	4	A5	Menus, product sheets, event programmes
Tri-fold (letter fold)	A4	6	DL	Clinics, tuition centres, service businesses, rack display
Z-fold (concertina)	A4	6	DL	Step-by-step processes, maps, timelines
Gate-fold	A4 or A3	6 or 8	Narrow tall panels	Launches where the reveal matters
Multi-page booklet	A4 or A5	8 to 32 pages, in multiples of 4	A4 or A5	Company overviews, catalogues

Bi-fold

One fold down the middle gives a front cover, a back cover and a two-page spread inside. The spread is the strength of a bi-fold: one large image or a clear table across both pages.

Tri-fold

Two folds roll the sheet into three panels on each side. The panel that folds inside must be 2 to 3 mm narrower than the others, or it buckles against the fold. An A4 tri-fold is usually set up as panels of about 100, 100 and 97 mm. Ask your printer for their exact figures before design starts.

The reading order is not left to right. The reader sees the front cover, then the inside flap, then the three inside panels together. Put your offer on the inside flap, because it is the first thing seen when the brochure opens.

Z-fold

The same six panels, folded back and forth. All three panels can be the same width, and the brochure opens in one pull. It suits a sequence: how a treatment works, the steps of a renovation, a route map.

Gate-fold

The two outer panels fold in to meet in the middle, like doors. It costs more to print and finish, so use it when the inside spread carries one strong image or announcement.

Paper and finish

The paper changes how the design should look, so decide it early.

1. Coated or uncoated. Coated (art) paper keeps photos sharp and colours bright. Uncoated paper looks natural and is easier to write on, which suits forms and order sheets.
2. Weight. Heavier paper feels more premium but costs more to post and can crack along a fold. Ask your printer whether the stock needs scoring before folding.
3. Lamination. Matt or gloss lamination protects a brochure that will be handled often, such as one on a clinic counter.
4. Special finishes. Spot UV, foil and embossing work best on the cover. The designer needs a separate file layer for each one.

Ask your printer for a paper sample book and a folded blank dummy. Holding the real paper is the fastest way to decide. For GSM by use and finish options, see the print paper guide.

Print setup checklist

Most reprints come from file setup, not design. Before you send a brochure to print, check that:

1. The document is the finished flat size, for example A4, with 3 mm bleed on every edge.
2. Text and logos sit at least 3 to 5 mm inside the trim and away from every fold.
3. Panel widths match the fold, with the inside panel narrower on a tri-fold.
4. Colours are set up as CMYK for print, with rich black only on large areas.
5. Photos are at about 300 dpi at the printed size.
6. Page counts for booklets are multiples of 4.
7. You have approved a printer’s proof, folded, before the full run.

Languages and panel space

A brochure in English, Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese needs more room than one in English alone. Bahasa Malaysia text often runs longer than the English, and Chinese text needs its own typeface and line spacing. On a tri-fold, there is rarely room for three languages side by side. Common solutions are a separate version for each language, or two languages per brochure with the third on a QR code linking to a web page or PDF.

Print and PDF

Most Malaysian brochures also go out as a PDF on WhatsApp after a meeting. A tri-fold that reads well folded can be hard to read as a flat PDF, because the panel order changes. Ask for a separate PDF set up as single pages in reading order.

Brochure costs

Prices depend on the format, the number of panels or pages, copywriting and languages. Our brochure design cost guide compares freelancer and agency prices for each format. For a fixed quote, see our brochure design service or send the size, fold, page count and print quantity through the quote form.