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Pashto and Dari Printing Services for Afghan Businesses and Families

Business cards, menus, storefront signs, food labels, packaging, wedding and engagement invitations, Eid cards and calendars, written and typeset in Pashto, Dari and English by native linguists, checked letter by letter, and produced to commercial print standards for Afghan-owned businesses and Afghan families in all 50 states, Canada, Europe and Australia.

The service, in Pashto and Dari

د افغان کاروبارونو او کورنیو لپاره د چاپ خدمتونه
خدمات چاپ برای کسب‌وکارها و خانواده‌های افغان
  • 24
    Afghan languages, Pashto and Dari first
  • 13
    international languages, plus English
  • 6
    writing systems typeset in-house
  • 50
    U.S. states served, plus Canada, Europe and Australia

In brief

What are printing services for Afghan businesses and families?

Printing services for Afghan businesses and families cover what an Afghan-owned business or an Afghan family prints: business cards, menus, signs, food labels, packaging, wedding and engagement invitations, Eid cards and calendars, in Pashto, Dari, English and other languages. Ariana Nexus writes, typesets and proofs each piece in-house and manages production through delivery, so the Pashto and Dari print correctly and every required statement is checked.

For families

Afghan wedding invitations and family occasion printing

From the engagement to the wedding, from Eid to a memorial gathering: invitations and cards written in the words your family uses, in Pashto, Dari and English.

  1. Wedding

    Pashtoوادهwada

    Dariعروسیarosi

    Invitations and envelopes, RSVP cards, programs, menus, seating charts, welcome signs, favor tags and thank-you cards

  2. Engagement and shirini-khori

    Pashtoکوژدهkozhda

    Dariنامزدیnamzadi

    Engagement invitations, shirini box sleeves and tags, and welcome signs

  3. Henna night

    Pashtoنکريزېnakrizay

    Dariشب خینهshab-e khina

    Invitations, henna favor tags and table cards

  4. Nikah

    Pashtoنکاحnikah

    Dariنکاحnikah

    Nikah invitations, programs and keepsake folders

  5. New baby and aqiqa

    Pashtoعقیقهaqiqa

    Dariعقیقهaqiqa

    Aqiqa invitations, sweet-box tags and thank-you cards

  6. Birthday and graduation

    Pashtoکلیزه · فراغتkalizah · faraghat

    Dariسالگره · فراغتsalgira · faraghat

    Invitations, banners, place cards and thank-you cards

  7. Eid and Nowruz

    Pashtoکوچنی اختر · لوی اختر · نوروزKuchnai Akhtar · Loy Akhtar · Nawroz

    Dariعید رمضان · عید قربان · نوروزEid-e Ramazan · Eid-e Qurban · Nowruz

    Greeting cards, gift tags, haft mewa boxes and Solar Hijri calendars

  8. Khatm-e Quran

    Pashtoد قرآن ختمda Quran khatm

    Dariختم قرآنkhatm-e Quran

    Invitations and programs

  9. Fatiha and memorial gatherings

    Pashtoفاتحهfatiha

    Dariفاتحهfatiha

    Memorial notices, condolence cards and programs, handled quietly and with priority

Illustrative wedding invitation in Dari with Solar Hijri and Gregorian dates
Illustrative wedding invitation in Pashto with Solar Hijri and Gregorian dates

The wedding suite

Invitation wording that follows Afghan custom

  • Invitations from the families, with parents' names and honorifics as your family uses them.
  • Bismillah and verses placed with care, and checked by the Cultural Compliance Bureau.
  • Dates in Solar Hijri and Gregorian, with Afghan month names in Pashto and Dari, never the Iranian ones.
  • Guest names and addresses set in Pashto, Dari and English, from your list.
  • With or without photographs, as your family prefers.

Languages: Pashto · Dari · English

Check: 06 Dates and digits · 08 Cultural review

Envelopes and favor tags.
Envelopes and favor tags.

For businesses

Business printing in Pashto and Dari, window by window

Six illustrative pieces, each shown with the languages it carries and the rule or check it passes.

Illustrative business cards: English on the front; Pashto on the right and Dari on the left of the back

Window I

The counter

Business cards, letterhead and envelopes in English, Pashto and Dari, with gold foil, letterpress or painted edges.

Languages: Pashto · Dari · English

Check: 04 Letters ټ ډ ړ ږ ښ ګ ڼ ې ۍ

Illustrative restaurant menu in English and Dari with Afghan dish names

Window II

The table

Restaurant and hotel menus, with Afghan dish names written by native linguists.

Languages: Pashto · Dari · English

Check: 05 Variety · Afghan Dari, never Iranian Persian or a machine guess

Illustrative bilingual food label in English and Dari with nutrition facts in both languages
Illustrative tuck-end carton dieline for an Afghan saffron box with English and Dari text and cut and fold lines

Window III

The pantry

Food labels and cartons set in each language the label uses.

Languages: Pashto · Dari · English

Rules: 21 CFR 101.15(c)(2) · 19 CFR Part 134, “Product of Afghanistan”

Illustrative storefront with an English fascia sign and window lettering in Pashto on the right and Dari on the left

Window IV

The storefront

Fascia signs and window lettering, with Pashto on the right and Dari on the left.

Languages: Pashto · Dari · English

Check: 03 Direction · right-to-left lines, with English placed correctly

Illustrative truck door with carrier name and USDOT number in English and the company name in Pashto and Dari

Window V

The road

Door lettering and USDOT decals for trucking and logistics companies.

Languages: Pashto · Dari · English

Rule: 49 CFR 390.21T · carrier name and USDOT number on both sides, legible from 50 feet

Illustrative Solar Hijri wall calendar for Hamal 1406 with Pashto and Dari month names and Gregorian dates

Window VI

The year

Solar Hijri wall calendars for 1406, which begins at Nowruz on March 21, 2027.

Languages: Pashto · Dari · English

Check: 06 Dates and digits · order calendars in January or early February

The card counter

Types of cards we print

  • Business cards

    Standard, square and folded

    • Letterpress
    • Foil
    • Painted edge
    • Duplex
  • Wedding invitations

    Flat, folded, pocket-fold and boxed

    • Foil
    • Letterpress
    • Laser-cut
    • Vellum wrap
  • Engagement and shirini-khori cards

    Flat cards and box sleeves

    • Foil
    • Ribbon
    • Wax seal
  • RSVP and reply cards

    Postcard or envelope reply

    • Matched to the invitation
  • Thank-you cards

    Flat or folded

    • Foil
    • Blind emboss
  • Eid and Nowruz cards

    Folded greeting cards and gift tags

    • Foil
    • Deckle edge
  • Place, table and menu cards

    Tented, flat and long menu cards

    • Matched to the event suite
  • Favor and gift tags

    Die-cut tags and stickers

    • Foil
    • String hole
  • Appointment and loyalty cards

    Wallet size

    • Write-on coating
  • Memorial and condolence cards

    Flat or folded

    • Quiet, uncoated stocks

Where it goes wrong

Why Pashto and Dari go wrong in print

Pashto and Dari break easily in print. When the text passes through software or a team that cannot read it, letters disconnect or reverse, Pashto letters drop out, and Iranian Persian or machine translation takes the place of Afghan Dari. On a sign, a menu or a wedding invitation, every customer and guest sees it, and a food label without its required statements is out of compliance.

Broken

پ ښ ت و

Letters print disconnected or backwards

Correct

پښتو

Joined, right to left, every letter present

Vocabulary

Afghan Dari, not Iranian Persian

Afghan Dari words compared with Iranian Persian words
MeaningAfghan DariIranian Persian
Carموترماشین
Hospitalشفاخانهبیمارستان
Schoolمکتبمدرسه
First month of the yearحملفروردین
  • 01

    Letters print disconnected or backwards

    The design software did not support right-to-left text, so each letter stands alone and the word reads in reverse.
  • 02

    Pashto letters drop out or turn into boxes

    The typeface has no ټ, ډ, ړ, ښ or ګ, so the press substitutes a wrong letter or prints an empty box.
  • 03

    The text looks right but will not edit or search

    It was copied from a PDF as legacy presentation forms, or the Dari text uses Arabic ي and ك in place of ی and ک.
  • 04

    Iranian Persian in place of Afghan Dari

    ماشین where your customers say موتر, or Farvardin where an Afghan calendar says Hamal.
  • 05

    Machine translation on menus and signs

    Dish names, directions and offers that read wrong to every Afghan customer who walks in.
  • 06

    A bilingual label missing required statements

    FDA and California Proposition 65 rules require the statements in each language the label uses.

Letters a Pashto print file must carry

Check 04 · Letters

  • ټU+067C
  • ځU+0681
  • څU+0685
  • ډU+0689
  • ړU+0693
  • ږU+0696
  • ښU+069A
  • ګU+06AB
  • ڼU+06BC
  • ېU+06D0
  • ۍU+06CD
  • ئU+0626

The standard

The eight-point Pashto and Dari print check

We found no print-industry checklist built for Pashto and Dari, so we wrote our own. Every file passes all eight points before it goes to press.

  1. 01

    Unicode

    Pashto and Dari letter codes throughout, with no legacy presentation forms.

    Automated

  2. 02

    Joining

    Every letter connects as it should, and Dari word breaks (nim-fasela) sit in place.

    Automated + linguist

  3. 03

    Direction

    Right-to-left lines, with numbers, prices and English words placed correctly inside them.

    Automated + linguist

  4. 04

    Letters

    Every Pashto letter present in the typeface: ټ ځ څ ډ ړ ږ ښ ګ ڼ ې ۍ ئ.

    Automated

  5. 05

    Variety

    The right Pashto for your customers and Afghan Dari, never Iranian Persian or a machine guess.

    Linguist

  6. 06

    Dates and digits

    Solar Hijri dates with Afghan month names, and digits used consistently.

    Linguist

  7. 07

    Required statements

    Label, sign and vehicle rules checked in every language the piece uses.

    Regulatory review

  8. 08

    Cultural review

    Names, honorifics and religious text checked by the Cultural Compliance Bureau.

    Cultural Compliance Bureau

Automated checks run on every file in seconds. People make every language decision. AI checks the work; it never writes your Pashto or Dari.

Why Ariana Nexus

Why businesses choose Ariana Nexus for Pashto and Dari printing

Ariana Nexus is a consulting and professional services firm, not a print shop. We take responsibility for the whole job, from the words to the delivery.

There is no U.S. certification for Pashto, Dari or other Afghan-language translators. Ariana Nexus trains its own linguists, and other translators and interpreters, in Afghan languages, and wrote the eight-point check its printing runs on.
  • Native readers set every line

    Pashto and Dari are written, typeset and proofed by people who read them, never by software alone.
  • Our own Pashto and Dari print check

    We found no print checklist built for Pashto and Dari, so our eight-point check runs on every file before it goes to press.
  • Labels and signs checked against the rules

    FDA, Proposition 65, USDOT, country-of-origin, ADA, Canadian, Québec and EU requirements reviewed before print.
  • One accountable team

    Words, typesetting, design, proofs, production and delivery under one engagement and one point of accountability.
  • Commercial print standards

    PDF/X-4 files, G7 and ISO 12647-2 color targets, hard proofs and press checks for color-critical work.
  • Files, data and brand kept secure

    A private client vault, NDA-bound team and named-user access, with nothing routed through Afghanistan's de facto authorities.

Not a designer who happens to speak Pashto: a team that reads every line it prints.

Made to order

Build your print program

Choose what you need in six short steps. The summary shows how we would scope it and the checks it needs, and goes with your request.

Your program
Summary
  1. 01Printing for
  2. 02Type
  3. 03Languages
  4. 04Pieces
  5. 05Where
  6. 06When
Step 1 of 6

Printing for

Step 2 of 6

Type

Choose the one closest to you. We suggest pieces for it in step 4.

Businesses and organizations

Family occasions

Step 3 of 6

Languages

Pashto and Dari are selected. Add every language your customers or guests read.
More languages22 more Afghan languages and 13 international languages
Iranian
Turkic
Indo-Aryan
Nuristani
Dravidian
International
Step 4 of 6

Pieces

Everything an Afghan-owned business prints, in Pashto, Dari, English and the other languages your customers read.

Business identity6
Storefront and signs8
Restaurants, hotels and food service8
Labels and packaging9
Marketing and direct mail6
Weddings, family occasions and events11
Calendars and seasonal4
Business forms4
Fleet and vehicles5
Workplace and safety4
Publishing4
Trade shows and large format4
Uniforms and branded merchandise4
Design and brand4
Prepress and print management5
Step 5 of 6

Where

Every market the print goes to. Rules differ by place.
United States
Canada
Europe and Australia
Step 6 of 6

When

Islamic holidays follow the moon, so dates shift each year. Plan at least six to eight weeks ahead; calendars and packaging earlier.

The Afghan business print calendar

The atelier

How we deliver a print job

  1. 01

    Brief and audit

    We review what you print, where it is used, and which languages and rules apply.

    Deliverable

    Print brief and rules checklist
  2. 02

    Words

    Native linguists write or translate the Pashto, Dari and English copy, or review yours.

    Deliverable

    Approved copy deck
  3. 03

    Typesetting and design

    Right-to-left layouts in typefaces that carry every letter, with your brand applied.

    Deliverable

    Layouts in your vault
  4. 04

    Proof and sign-off

    A native-reader proof, the eight-point check, then a digital or hard proof for your approval.

    Deliverable

    Signed proof
  5. Nothing prints until you approve a proof.

  6. 05

    Production and quality control

    Color-managed production, a press check for color-critical work, and finish and count checked.

    Deliverable

    Quality record
  7. 06

    Delivery and reorders

    Delivered to every location, with files kept ready for reorders and seasonal reprints.

    Deliverable

    Delivery confirmation

Before you decide

What you can count on before anything prints

  • Nothing prints until you approve a proof

    A native-reader proof and the eight-point check, then a digital or printed proof for your sign-off.
  • Our language guarantee

    If a Pashto or Dari error we set reaches print, we reprint at our cost.
  • Paper samples before you decide

    A sample pack of stocks and finishes can come with your proposal.
  • Talk to us in your language

    Meet us at our Washington, D.C. office or by video, in Pashto, Dari or English.
  • Guest lists kept private

    Used only for your event and deleted after delivery, with a written record.

What shapes your quote

Every quote is written for your project. These are the things that move it.

  • Quantity and sizes

    How many pieces, in how many sizes and versions.
  • Paper, finishes and inks

    Stock, foil, letterpress, painted edges and spot colors.
  • Words

    Writing, translation or review of the Pashto, Dari and English copy.
  • Rules and proofs

    Label, sign and vehicle rules, and the proofs each piece needs.
  • Locations and delivery

    One address or many, across states and countries.
  • Timing

    Your event or opening date, and the time left before it.

Index

What we print

Everything an Afghan-owned business prints, in Pashto, Dari, English and the other languages your customers read.

  1. 01

    Business identity

    • Business cards with gold foil, letterpress or painted edges
    • Letterhead and envelopes
    • Presentation folders
    • Notepads
    • Rubber stamps and seals
    • Name badges
  2. 02

    Storefront and signs

    • Exterior signs and channel letters
    • Window graphics and vinyl lettering
    • Sidewalk A-frame signs
    • Banners and flags
    • Menu boards
    • Wayfinding and ADA signs
    • Grand-opening signs
    • Yard signs
  3. 03

    Restaurants, hotels and food service

    • Dine-in and takeout menus
    • Hotel room-service and banquet menus
    • Catering menus
    • Table tents and placemats
    • Takeout bags and stickers
    • Box sleeves
    • Key-card sleeves and welcome cards
    • Gift and loyalty cards
  4. 04

    Labels and packaging

    • Food and product labels on rolls or sheets
    • Nutrition facts panels in two languages
    • Ingredient and allergen statements
    • Country-of-origin marking
    • Boxes, cartons and pouches
    • Jar and tin labels
    • Hang tags
    • Shelf tags and price cards
    • Barcodes and QR codes
  5. 05

    Marketing and direct mail

    • Flyers and brochures
    • Postcards and EDDM mailers
    • Door hangers
    • Catalogs and lookbooks
    • Coupons and inserts
    • Posters
  6. 06

    Weddings, family occasions and events

    • Wedding invitations, envelopes and RSVP cards
    • Engagement (namzadi) and shirini-khori cards and box sleeves
    • Henna night (khina) and nikah cards
    • Programs, menus and seating charts
    • Welcome signs and backdrops
    • Favor tags and thank-you cards
    • Envelope and guest addressing in Pashto, Dari and English
    • Aqiqa, birthday and graduation invitations
    • Khatm-e Quran invitations
    • Eid and Nowruz greeting cards
    • Memorial (fatiha) notices and condolence cards
  7. 07

    Calendars and seasonal

    • Solar Hijri wall and desk calendars for 1406
    • Ramadan timetables
    • Haft mewa and Eid gift packaging
    • Seasonal sale flyers
  8. 08

    Business forms

    • Invoices and carbonless receipt books
    • Order forms and delivery tickets
    • Client intake forms in Pashto and Dari
    • Appointment cards
  9. 09

    Fleet and vehicles

    • USDOT and carrier decals
    • Door lettering
    • Full and partial vehicle wraps
    • Magnetic signs
    • Trailer graphics
  10. 10

    Workplace and safety

  11. 11

    Publishing

    • Books and children's books
    • Magazines and newsletters
    • Textbooks for weekend language schools
    • Annual reports
  12. 12

    Trade shows and large format

    • Retractable banners
    • Booth backdrops and graphics
    • Floor graphics
    • Large posters and canvas prints
  13. 13

    Uniforms and branded merchandise

    • Uniforms and aprons
    • T-shirts and caps
    • Tote bags and mugs
    • Embroidery and screen printing
  14. 14

    Design and brand

    • Logo and brand system design
    • Bilingual brand guidelines
    • Pashto and Dari wordmarks and lettering
    • Menu and packaging design
  15. 15

    Prepress and print management

    • Repair of broken Pashto and Dari text
    • Press-ready PDF/X-4 files
    • Font license checks
    • Dielines and color matching
    • Print management across suppliers and locations

Clientele

Who we print for

Afghan-owned businesses and Afghan diaspora enterprises in every industry, Afghan families, and any organization that serves Afghan customers, from one wedding or one storefront to enterprise rollouts.

  • Restaurants and kabob houses

    Menus, takeout menus, signs, bags and stickers
  • Hotels, banquet halls and caterers

    Room-service and banquet menus, key-card sleeves, welcome cards and event signs
  • Bakeries and sweet shops

    Bread bags, box labels, price cards and gift boxes
  • Grocery stores and halal markets

    Shelf tags, weekly flyers and window signs
  • Import and food brands

    Labels, pouches and boxes for dried fruit, nuts, saffron, tea and spices
  • Carpet, jewelry and fashion retailers

    Hang tags, catalogs, shopping bags and window graphics
  • Wedding halls and event planners

    Invitations, programs, banners and seating charts
  • Trucking and logistics companies

    USDOT decals, truck lettering, safety signs and driver forms
  • Home care agencies and clinics

    Patient forms, signs and brochures in Pashto and Dari
  • Tax preparers and accountants

    Tax-season flyers, client intake forms and business cards
  • Real estate, insurance and auto dealers

    Yard signs, brochures and window stickers
  • Community organizations

    Ramadan timetables, Eid cards, banners and newsletters
  • Authors and publishers

    Books, magazines and children's books in Pashto and Dari
  • And Afghan families, from the engagement to the wedding, from Eid to a memorial gathering.

    For families

Standards

Production standards

Press files
PDF/X-4 (ISO 15930-7), fonts and color intact
Color
G7 calibration targets, ISO 12647-2 process control for offset printing, FOGRA characterization for Europe
Spot and metallic inks
Pantone matching, including 872 C, the metallic gold in our own wordmark
Proofing
Native-reader proofs, digital proofs, hard proofs and press checks
Paper
FSC-certified and recycled stocks available; vegetable-based inks on request
Accessible signage
Tactile characters and Braille to the 2010 ADA Standards, §703
Archive
Source files and approved proofs kept for reorders

Rules

Rules that apply when your print carries Pashto or Dari

We check each one before print. These are the rules buyers most often miss. This is a language and format review, not legal advice.

Rules that apply when print carries Pashto or Dari
RuleAuthorityApplies toWhat it means
Rule21 CFR 101.15(c)(2)AuthorityFDAApplies toU.S. food labelsWhat it meansIf any label text is in Pashto or Dari, every required statement must appear in that language too.
Rule27 CCR 25602(d)AuthorityCalifornia Proposition 65Applies toCalifornia consumer productsWhat it meansWhere a warning is required and a sign, label or shelf tag gives consumer information in another language, the warning must appear in that language as well as English.
Rule49 CFR 390.21TAuthorityFMCSAApplies toCommercial vehiclesWhat it meansCarrier name and USDOT number on both sides, in a contrasting color, legible from 50 feet in daylight.
Rule19 CFR Part 134AuthorityU.S. Customs and Border ProtectionApplies toImported goodsWhat it meansCountry of origin marked in English, such as “Product of Afghanistan”, legibly and permanently.
Rule2010 ADA Standards, §703AuthorityU.S. Department of JusticeApplies toPermanent room signsWhat it meansRaised characters and Grade 2 Braille in English, with Pashto or Dari added as visual text.
RuleCharter of the French LanguageAuthorityQuébecApplies toSigns and advertising in QuébecWhat it meansWhere another language appears on signs and advertising, French must be markedly predominant; the rules tightened on June 1, 2025.
RuleConsumer Packaging and Labelling ActAuthorityCanadaApplies toPrepackaged products in CanadaWhat it meansMandatory label information generally in both English and French, with limited exemptions.
RuleRegulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Art. 15AuthorityEuropean Union; retained in UK lawApplies toFood sold in the EU and the UKWhat it meansMandatory food information in a language easily understood where the food is sold, such as German in Germany or English in the UK.

Discretion

Security and compliance for your files, data and brand

Your print files carry your brand, your prices and sometimes your customers' data. We handle them that way.

  • Private client vault

    Files, proofs and approvals live in a private vault with named-user access, multi-factor sign-in and an activity log.
  • NDA before access

    Every team member signs a non-disclosure agreement before seeing client files.
  • Customer data used narrowly

    Mailing lists are used only for your job, never reused, and deleted on request with a written record.
  • No routing through Afghanistan

    Nothing is routed through channels controlled by the de facto authorities in Afghanistan.
  • Licensed fonts and images

    We check that every typeface and image is licensed for print and digital use.
  • European data terms

    GDPR and UK GDPR terms for clients in Europe.
Every proof is checked line by line before anything prints.
Every proof is checked line by line before anything prints.

The atelier team

The team behind every print job

Ariana Nexus is led by alumni and scholars of Cornell University, Brown University, the University of Chicago, the University of British Columbia and Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg. They work with native Pashto and Dari linguists and the firm's Cultural Compliance Bureau, so every language decision on your print job is made by a person who reads it.

Portrait of Hassan Ukasha

Hassan Ukasha

Managing Partner

  • Cornell UniversityB.S.
  • Cornell UniversityM.P.H.

Hassan Ukasha, Managing Partner of Ariana Nexus, grew up in Herat. He oversees the firm's overall operations and holds executive accountability for every print program, for businesses and families alike, from the first brief to the final delivery.

Languages: Pashto, Dari, English, Urdu, Hindi; working Arabic

Portrait of Zeba Haqbani

Zeba Haqbani

  • University of British ColumbiaB.Sc.

Senior Partner

Builds the client vault and the systems that track every file, proof and approval. She lived in Kabul.

Portrait of Shukria Sakhi

Shukria Sakhi

  • Brown UniversityB.S.
  • Brown UniversityM.P.H.

Engagement Manager

Runs print engagements for business clients: the brief, the schedule and delivery to every location.

Portrait of Wasil Peroz

Wasil Peroz

  • Milli UniversityB.A.
  • Otto-von-Guericke University MagdeburgM.Sc.

Principal

Leads regulatory review of labels, signs and vehicle markings: FDA, Proposition 65, Canada, Québec and the EU.

Portrait of Maryam Safi

Maryam Safi

  • Cornell UniversityB.A.

Principal

Leads proofing and quality control: native-reader proofs, hard proofs and press checks.

Portrait of Hussain Ahmad

Hussain Ahmad

  • Cornell UniversityM.Eng.
  • University of ChicagoPh.D.

Analyst

Builds the automated Unicode, glyph and preflight checks that run on every file.

The bench behind them

  • Pashto and Dari typesetters and proofreaders

    Native readers who set and check every line.
  • Afghan-language linguists

    22 more Afghan languages, including Uzbeki, Turkmeni and Balochi.
  • International language specialists

    French, German, Spanish, Italian, Hebrew, Urdu, Arabic, Hindi, Portuguese, Chinese, Russian, Turkish and Swedish.
  • Cultural Compliance Bureau

    Reviews names, honorifics, religious text and imagery before print.
  • Designers and prepress specialists

    Brand, layout, dielines and press-ready files.
  • Production and delivery coordinators

    Schedules, quality records and shipments to every location.

Languages

Languages and writing systems

Pashto is set in the variety your customers and guests read, from Kandahari to Nangarhari wording. Dari, the Afghan form of Persian that many people search for as Farsi, is set in Afghan Dari, never Iranian Persian, with Kabuli, Herati, Hazaragi or Badakhshani wording where your audience expects it.

24 Afghan languages, Pashto and Dari first

Iranian

  • Pashto
  • Dari
  • Aimaq
  • Balochi
  • Ormuri
  • Parachi
  • Wakhi
  • Shughni
  • Sanglechi
  • Ishkashimi
  • Munji
  • Yidgha

Turkic

  • Uzbeki
  • Turkmeni
  • Kyrgyz

Indo-Aryan

  • Pashayi
  • Gawarbati
  • Tirahi

Nuristani

  • Nuristani (Ashkun)
  • Kati
  • Prasun
  • Waigali
  • Tregami

Dravidian

  • Brahui

13 international languages, plus English

  • French
  • German
  • Spanish
  • Italian
  • Hebrew
  • Urdu
  • Arabic
  • Hindi
  • Portuguese
  • Chinese
  • Russian
  • Turkish
  • Swedish
  • English
کارتونه، مینو، لوحې، لیبلونه، بسته بندي، د واده او کوژدې بلنې — په پښتو، دري او انګلیسي
کارت ویزیت، منو، تابلو، لیبل، بسته‌بندی، کارت عروسی و نامزدی — به پشتو، دری و انگلیسی

Six writing systems, typeset in‑house

  • چاپ

    Perso-Arabic

    Pashto, Dari, Uzbeki, Turkmeni, Balochi and other Afghan languages; Urdu; Arabic

  • Print

    Latin

    English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, Swedish

  • דפוס

    Hebrew

    Hebrew

  • Печать

    Cyrillic

    Russian

  • मुद्रण

    Devanagari

    Hindi

  • 印刷

    Han

    Chinese

Coverage

Where we deliver

From our headquarters in Washington, D.C., Ariana Nexus serves businesses in all 50 states, and in Canada, Europe and Australia, depending on the type and scale of the project.

All 50 states

  • Alabama
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming
Including the large Afghan business communities of the Washington, D.C. area, the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, Southern California, Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, New York and Seattle.

Beyond the United States

  • Canada

    English and French labeling; Québec signage
  • Europe

    Including Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Sweden and Austria
  • Australia

    Retail, food and community printing

Headquarters: Washington, D.C.

Engagements

Ways to work with us

  1. For restaurant groups, grocery chains, franchises and food brands

    Multi-location and product rollouts

    One brand standard and one approval, printed and delivered to every location across states and countries.
  2. For businesses that print all year

    Annual print program

    Ramadan, Eid, Nowruz, wedding season and tax season planned ahead, files kept ready, every reorder handled.
  3. For a new location

    Opening kit

    Signs, menus, cards, forms, uniforms and grand-opening materials, typeset and planned to arrive before opening day.
  4. For families planning a wedding, engagement or other occasion

    Wedding and family occasion suite

    Invitations, envelopes, programs, menus, signs, favor tags and thank-you cards in one design, in the languages your guests read.
  5. For one piece or one run

    Single project

    A menu, a label, a calendar or a wedding invitation, briefed, typeset, proofed and delivered.
Paper stocks.
Paper stocks.

Glossary

Print terms on this page

Right-to-left (RTL) typesetting
Setting text that reads from right to left, as Pashto and Dari do, with numbers and English words placed correctly inside the line.
Perso-Arabic script
The alphabet Pashto, Dari and several other Afghan languages are written in. Pashto adds letters such as ټ, ډ, ړ, ښ and ګ.
Nim-fasela (ZWNJ)
An invisible character that keeps Dari letters apart where a word needs a break without a space.
Solar Hijri calendar
The solar calendar used across Afghanistan and the diaspora. Year 1406 begins at Nowruz, March 21, 2027; months run Wray to Kab in Pashto and Hamal to Hut in Dari.
PDF/X-4
The ISO standard press-ready PDF that keeps fonts, color and transparency intact for print.
G7
A calibration method that keeps gray balance and color consistent across presses and papers.
Hard proof
A printed, color-accurate sample you approve before the full run.
Press check
Inspecting the first sheets on press against the approved proof before the run continues.
Dieline
The flat outline of a box, label or bag that shows where it is cut and folded, used to place the artwork.
Preflight
Checking a print file before production for missing fonts, broken text, wrong color settings and low-resolution images.

Questions

Questions about Pashto and Dari printing

Do you print in Pashto and Dari?

Yes. Ariana Nexus prints in Pashto, Dari and 22 more Afghan languages, in 13 international languages including Urdu, Arabic, Turkish and German, and in English. Native linguists write and typeset every Pashto and Dari line, and each file passes our eight-point Pashto and Dari print check before it goes to press.

What can you print for an Afghan-owned business or family?

Business cards, letterhead, menus, storefront and window signs, banners, flyers and brochures, food and product labels, packaging, shelf tags, receipt books and forms, vehicle and fleet graphics, safety signs, uniforms and branded merchandise, catalogs, books and magazines, and for families, wedding and engagement invitations, Eid and Nowruz cards, Solar Hijri calendars and Ramadan timetables.

Do you print Afghan wedding invitations in Pashto and Dari?

Yes. We write, set and print wedding (wada in Pashto, arosi in Dari) and engagement (kozhda, namzadi) invitations in Pashto, Dari and English, with wording that follows Afghan custom, Solar Hijri and Gregorian dates, and envelopes addressed from your guest list. Start about eight weeks before the date.

Do you print for family occasions, not only businesses?

Yes. We print for engagements and shirini-khori, henna nights, nikah, aqiqa, birthdays, graduations, Eid and Nowruz, khatm-e Quran and memorial gatherings, from a single card to a full suite.

Our menu was made in Canva and the Pashto letters came out broken. Can you fix it?

Yes. Disconnected or reversed letters, missing Pashto letters and empty boxes come from software or typefaces that do not handle right-to-left Perso-Arabic text. We rebuild the text layer in a typeface that carries every Pashto letter, have a native reader check it, and return a press-ready file that keeps your design.

Do you translate the text, or do we bring our own translation?

Either. Our linguists write and translate Pashto, Dari and other Afghan-language copy for menus, signs, labels and marketing, or review a translation you already have. Machine translation is never printed without a native linguist's review, because menus, labels and signs are where machine errors show most.

What rules apply when a food label includes Pashto or Dari?

In the United States, if a food label carries any representation in another language, FDA rule 21 CFR 101.15(c)(2) requires every required statement in that language too. California's Proposition 65 sets a similar rule for warnings. Canada requires English and French, and Québec requires French to be markedly predominant on signs. We check each rule before print.

Can you print Afghan wedding invitations and calendars with Solar Hijri dates?

Yes. We set wedding invitations, engagement cards and wall calendars with Solar Hijri dates and the Afghan month names, Wray to Kab in Pashto and Hamal to Hut in Dari, not the Iranian month names many templates use. For 1406, which begins at Nowruz on March 21, 2027, order calendars in January or early February.

Where do you deliver?

Ariana Nexus works with businesses in all 50 U.S. states from its headquarters in Washington, D.C., and in Canada, Europe and Australia, depending on the type and scale of the project. Multi-location orders ship to each location with its own packing list.

How long does a print job take?

The schedule is set in the brief. Reprints of approved files move fastest; new Pashto and Dari copy adds translation and proofing time; packaging, large-format signs and multi-location rollouts take longer. For Ramadan, Eid, Nowruz and wedding-season printing, start six to eight weeks ahead.

What happens if there is a mistake in the Pashto or Dari?

Every file passes our eight-point check and a native-reader proof before you approve it. If a Pashto or Dari error we set still reaches print, we reprint at our cost.

Can I see paper samples before I order?

Yes. A sample pack of stocks and finishes can come with your proposal, and every order starts with a proof you approve before anything prints.

How do you keep our files and customer data secure?

Files, proofs and approvals stay in a private client vault with named-user access, multi-factor sign-in and an activity log. Every team member signs a non-disclosure agreement before seeing client files. Mailing lists are used only for your job and deleted on request, and nothing is routed through channels controlled by the de facto authorities in Afghanistan.

Do you only work with Afghan-owned businesses?

No. We print for Afghan families and for any organization that needs Pashto, Dari or other Afghan-language materials, including banks, health plans, retailers, clinics, schools and nonprofits that serve Afghan customers, as well as Afghan-owned businesses in every industry.

What file formats do you accept and deliver?

We accept Adobe InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop files, PDF, Microsoft Word and Canva designs. We deliver press-ready PDF/X-4 files and editable source files, and for packaging and signs, files built to the dieline, all kept in your vault for reorders.

Can you print religious text or calligraphy?

Yes, with care. Our Cultural Compliance Bureau reviews religious text, names and honorifics before print and advises on placement, for example keeping sacred text off napkins, bags and other items that are thrown away.

Why choose a consulting firm instead of a print shop?

A print shop is set up to print the file it is given. Ariana Nexus takes responsibility for the whole job: the words, the Pashto and Dari typesetting, the label rules, the proofs, the production standard and the delivery, under one engagement and one point of accountability.

Request

Tell us what you need to print.

Send us your list, your event date or the file that came out wrong. We reply with a print brief, the checks it needs and a schedule.

Request a proposal

We sign a non-disclosure agreement before you share files.