Eco folded menus

A folded menu gives more room than a single card and lets you spread the offer comfortably across several panels. You can show starters, mains, desserts and drinks separately, and once folded the whole thing is still handy at the table.

In the EKO version the paper itself is an important part of the design. We do not cover it with film, so its natural colour, texture and surface stay clearly visible and can be felt in the hand.

This form suits restaurants, cafés, bistros, hotels, guesthouses, cake shops, wine bars and food trucks. It goes especially well with seasonal, regional, plant-based and slow food cooking, but it can simply be part of a calm, natural identity for the place.

What you can use an EKO folded menu for

The folded form gives plenty of room, so it can carry the main menu as well as separate cards for particular times of day or seasons.

An EKO folded menu works as:

• A food menu and lunch menu - the venue's basic offer split into starters, soups, mains and desserts, for instance.
• A drinks, wine and cocktail list - a separate card that looks especially good in the slim format.
• A seasonal, tasting and plant-based menu - natural paper goes well with a local, seasonal or regional offer.
• A hotel, room service and catering menu - the larger format holds more items and lets you split them comfortably into categories.
• An occasional offer - a wedding, communion, banquet or event menu, or a takeaway card.

Besides the list of dishes you can add information about local ingredients, allergens, a short history of the place, the chef's recommendations or a QR code leading to the full menu online, to bookings or to reviews.

Which format and fold to choose

We describe the format as the size of the sheet before folding and the size of the finished menu after folding.

There are four versions:

• A4 folded to A5 - a handy menu for shorter cards, such as lunch, breakfast, desserts, drinks or a seasonal offer. Folded, it takes up little room on the table.
• A3 folded to A4 - gives more space for the offer. It works well in restaurants with a larger number of items, in hotels and in catering.
• A3 folded to 140×297 mm - a slim, elegant format for wine, cocktail and drinks lists and more representative menus.
• 3×A4 folded to A4 - a large surface for a full food menu, banquet and event menus and an offer split into many sections.

Match the format to the amount of content, the number of categories, the length of the descriptions and whether there are photographs.

On natural paper legibility matters especially, so it is better to choose a larger surface than to shrink the text too far and crowd the design.

Which EKO paper to choose

Each of the papers available has its own shade and texture, and each affects the look of the print differently. That is why it is worth choosing it not just by weight but also to suit the style of the venue and the design.

• Kraftliner 300 gsm - kraft, bold and more raw. It suits rustic restaurants, bakeries, food trucks and regional cooking. It looks best with simple designs, strong typography and clear contrast.
• Kazan ecru 250 gsm and 300 gsm with grass fibre - a warm paper with visible grass specks. It works well in eco venues, agritourism farms and wellness properties, and with seasonal cooking. The 300 gsm version is stiffer.
• Flora Avorio 240 gsm - a light paper in a calm ivory shade. It suits delicate, natural and more elegant designs.
• Flora Giglio 240 gsm and 350 gsm - light, neutral and versatile. It works well where the menu should look natural but still clean and tidy. The 350 gsm version is stiffer.
• Flora Tabacco 240 gsm and 350 gsm - a darker, more decisive paper. It suits boutique cafés, bars, specialty venues and designs with a stronger character. On this stock the right contrast matters especially.

Why there is no lamination

The EKO folded menu is not laminated.

In this version the natural surface of the paper is one of the most important parts of the whole effect. Film would hide the texture, change the feel and take away part of the material's character.

Without that extra layer the paper stays more natural and feels less plastic.

There are two practical things to keep in mind, though.

First, an unlaminated menu will be less resistant to heavy use than a card protected with film. That is why it works especially well as a seasonal, lunch or tasting menu and other cards replaced from time to time.

Second, the paper's own colour affects the look of the print. On kraft, ecru and darker stocks the colours can be warmer, more muted and less contrasty than on white coated paper.

So clear typography, legible prices, a simple split into categories and strong enough contrast work best.

Printing

We print EKO folded menus double-sided in full colour.

You can therefore use both the outside and the inside and plan the sections comfortably.

Separate panels can carry starters, mains, desserts, drinks, wines, set menus and the seasonal offer.

When designing, watch the order of the panels after folding. Keep dish names, prices, the logo, the QR code and other important elements away from the crease and fold lines.

On EKO papers it is also better to avoid very thin lines, small text, weak contrast and QR codes that are too small.

File check and graphic design

When you place the order you choose how the design is prepared. The exact surcharges for each option are shown in the calculator.

• No file check - the file goes straight into production. This option is for agencies, designers and anyone confident the design is prepared correctly.
• File check by a designer - we check the format, bleed, resolution and colours. On a folded menu we also check the arrangement of the panels, the fold and crease lines, the order of the pages and the safe distances between the content and the edges. On EKO papers we look at the contrast as well, because the natural colour of the stock affects the print.
• Simple graphic design - if you have no file ready, send us your logo, the list of dishes, the prices, the descriptions, photographs and your guidelines on style. We will prepare a simple design matched to the format and EKO paper you chose.

The check by a designer is particularly worth choosing if the design was made in Canva, an online generator, an office program or with AI tools. Such files can look good on screen and still need the bleed, CMYK, resolution, panel layout or margins corrected.

The check covers only the technical side.

We do not check prices, the names and descriptions of dishes, allergens, portion weights, the dates an offer runs or whether the QR codes work. The customer is responsible for the content.

How to prepare the file for print

A PDF that follows our specification works best. We also accept good quality JPG and PNG files.

Prepare photographs and artwork at 300 dpi at 1:1 scale, and the design in CMYK.

If the background or artwork runs to the edge, add the right amount of bleed.

Keep dish names, prices, the logo, text and QR codes a safe distance from the cutting and fold lines.

On a folded menu the arrangement of the panels matters a great deal. You have to allow for the format before and after folding, the crease lines, the direction of the fold and the reading order.

Do not place important content right on the folds. After folding it can become less legible or end up in an awkward spot.

Remember too that the colour of EKO paper affects the print. On Kraftliner, Kazan and the darker Flora versions the colours can look less intense than on white paper.

Photographs of dishes can take on a warmer, softer character, so it is best to use sharp files with the right brightness and good contrast.

Before you start on the design, download the right template and specification for the format you chose.