They are different!! A standard US Letter size (8.5″ x 11″) flyer is wider and shorter than the European counterpart (ISO A4 – 8.27″ x 11.69″).
US Paper sizes follow the ANSI series, whereas European (and Asian) follow the ISO sizes.
European & Asian Paper Size
ISO A Series of Sizes is the most frequently used page measurement sizes. The largest size A0 measures 1 sq. meter and the height/width ratio remains constant (1:1.41) for all sizes.
| ISO A Series | Height (inch) | Width (inch) |
|---|---|---|
| A0 | 46.81 | 33.11 |
| A1 | 33.11 | 23.39 |
| A2 | 23.39 | 16.54 |
| A3 | 16.54 | 11.69 |
| A4 | 11.69 | 8.27 |
| A5 | 8.27 | 5.83 |
| A6 | 5.83 | 4.13 |
| A7 | 4.13 | 2.91 |
| A8 | 2.91 | 2.05 |
The drawing above shows a graphical representation of the ISO A Series (courtesy of www.prepressure.com)
US Paper Sizes
The US & Canada do not use the international standards (ISO) but uses a different standard as listed below:
Height (inch) | Width (inch) | |
|---|---|---|
| Letter (ANSI A) | 11 | 8.5 |
| Legal | 14 | 8.5 |
| Ledger | 17 | 11 |
| Tabloid | 11 | 17 |
| Executive | 10.55 | 7.25 |
| ANSI C | 17 | 22 |
| ANSI D | 22 | 34 |
| ANSI E | 34 | 44 |
Here is a link to the Wikipedia for more information.
So the big question is do we (US & Canadian Printers) care about this? Yes & No. Most of the jobs 95% are the US standard size so no big problem. But as the world is getting smaller and smaller and there is more artwork coming from European & Asian Countries and the sizes are different. Which means 2 things either reformat to the US size or print in the original size. As everyone knows reformatting is a pain, so most of the people want to print in the original format.
So how did we solve this problem. Very Simple offer some of the most common products at the Euro sizes. And they are:
1. European Size Business Cards – 3.35×2.17 inches
2. Flyer, European A4 Size – 8.27×11.69 inch
3. Brochure – Euro A4 Size – 11.69×8.27 inch. (tri-folded, half folded, z folded)
4. Brochure – Euro A2 Size – 16.54×11.69 inch. (half folded)
