A letterhead rarely travels alone. Business cards, envelopes, compliment slips and the invoice and quote templates should match it, and so should the email signature most letters now arrive under. We design them as one stationery set, from one brief, as we matched the Mrala Enterprise profile to its website.
Letterhead design
The first page people judge you on.
Company letterhead design that makes every quote, contract and letter look like the work of a serious firm. We build it for print and for Word.
Contents
What goes on a letterhead?
Your logo, your contact details and the legal lines your country requires, arranged so the letter still has room to breathe. In the UK a limited company’s letters must show the registered name, company number, registered office and where the company is registered; the government sets out the rules. South African companies show the registered name and registration number under the Companies Act. US firms have fewer rules, so the design carries the trust on its own.
We lay out the first page and a plainer continuation sheet for page two onwards, and place the address block where it shows through a DL or #10 window envelope. Your accountant or company secretary confirms the legal wording. We make sure it fits and reads.
Sizes
Letterhead sizes and paper
Letterhead paper is uncoated, because it has to take toner, inkjet ink and a fountain pen. Heavy coatings and foil can lift in a laser printer, so we keep them clear of the area the toner touches, or save them for the business card.
| Item | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A4 letterhead | 210 × 297 mm | The UK and South African standard; 100 to 120 gsm uncoated |
| US Letter letterhead | 8.5 × 11 in | The American standard; 24 or 28 lb bond |
| Continuation sheet | Same as the first page | Logo or a rule only, for page two onwards |
| Compliment slip | 99 × 210 mm (DL) | A third of A4, for notes with orders and samples |
| Envelopes | DL 110 × 220 mm; C5 162 × 229 mm; #10 4.125 × 9.5 in | Window or plain; front and flap printed |
Included
What comes with a letterhead design
- Print-ready PDFCMYK or Pantone, with 3 mm bleed (0.125 in in the USA), for litho or digital printing of pre-printed shells.
- Word templateA .dotx with the artwork fixed in the header and footer, margins and styles set, so staff type and the layout holds.
- PDF letterhead for emailA light version with the artwork in place, for letters that are never printed.
- Source filesYours to keep, with the fonts named and the colour references recorded.
How it runs
How does a letterhead job run?
Send the facts
Logo files, the details to show, the legal lines from your accountant or company secretary, and the paper size your office prints on.
See it on paper
We lay out the page and show a PDF proof with a sample letter typed in, then adjust the margins until a real letter sits well on it.
Test it in Word
You open the template, type a letter and print it on your own printer. If anything shifts, we fix it before the files are final.
Print the shells
Your printer runs the pre-printed sheets, or you print on demand from the template. Both files are yours.
Print & design
Related services
Questions
Questions about letterhead design
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Ask a questionHow do we start a letterhead design?
Email hello@redfoxbranding.com or use the project form with your logo, the details you want shown and the countries you write to. We quote a fixed price in GBP, USD or ZAR before any work starts. If you want envelopes, compliment slips or business cards in the same style, say so, and we design the set as one job.
Pre-printed letterhead or a Word template: which is better?
Most firms need both. Pre-printed shells give you the colour, paper and finish a laser printer cannot, and suit contracts, quotes and anything a client keeps. The Word template covers day-to-day letters and everything sent as a PDF. We set its margins to match the shell, so you can print on either without the text moving.
Can you make the letterhead work on both paper sizes?
Yes. US Letter is about 6 mm wider and 18 mm shorter than A4, so one design cannot simply be scaled. We lay out each size properly, keep the logo the same physical size on both and supply two Word templates. Your American customers see Letter, your British and South African ones see A4, and the two still look like one firm.
Which paper should we print letterheads on?
A smooth uncoated 100 or 120 gsm paper in the UK and South Africa, or 24 to 28 lb bond in the USA, in a bright or natural white. It takes toner and ink well and folds cleanly into a DL envelope. Laid, wove and recycled stocks add texture if that suits the brand. Ask your printer for a laser-guaranteed stock if your office prints the shells itself.
Designing the whole set?
Get a quote for letterhead design
Send your logo, the details and legal lines you need to show and the paper size your office uses, and say if you want pre-printed shells, a Word template or both. You get a fixed quote and a list of the files you will receive. Your letterhead design starts there.