Why do dark designs crack along folds and card edges?

Heavy ink coverage, like dark backgrounds and rich blacks, makes the surface of the paper less flexible. When the sheet is cut, scored or folded, that layer can crack and show the white paper underneath.

• Business cards: a few cards in a run can show small cracks along the cut edges when the design is very dark.
• Folded pieces like brochures, folders and greeting cards: UV coated jobs can crack along the score line, and the cracks grow the more the piece is opened and closed.

This is normal for dark coated work and not a production defect. To reduce it, use lighter colors near folds, keep ink coverage as low as your design allows, and choose an uncoated option for pieces that will be folded a lot. Skipping UV coating helps, but doesn't fully prevent it.