Bookbinding techniques on PERGRAPHICA®

Show some spine! Long gone are the days when book binding was just a decision between softcover and hardcover, based on your budget. Binding methods have become design statements, harking back to the manual craft tradition of the trade, while using efficient, industrial processes.

There is an undeniable appeal to seeing how pages are bound together, rather than having those threads, cloth tapes and adhesives tucked away behind a cover, so for our latest edition of the PERGRAPHICA® Post, we show you four binding techniques that will make your book stand out.

These statement bindings perfectly pair with the look and feel of PERGRAPHICA®, creating a sensual experience for readers.

Visible Thread-Stitching

Thread-stitching is the traditional binding method used for long-lasting hard-cover books. The pages of a book are folded into groups of 16 to 24 and sewn together along the folds. These so-called signatures are stitched together in turn, and the spine is sealed with glue. If you stop now instead of adding a wrap-around hardcover, the binding thread becomes a design element.

Differently coloured thread can be combined with transparent glue for great effect. If you still want a sturdy cover, have cardboard glued to the first and the last page of the inner book, leaving the spine visible.

Singer Sewn Binding

You probably have a Singer-sewn booklet at home. Just check your passport. For this sturdy and handsome alternative to saddle-stitching, a special sewing machine (hence the name) is used to stitch a single thread through the fold of a booklet. Great for notebooks or small-format magazines, this binding method is limited when it comes thickness, but you have an unlimited choice of colours for the thread. You could hide that with a cover, like with your passport, but why would you?

Italian Binding

If you designed beautiful two-page spreads, lay-flat binding is your friend. No matter where you open your book, it will lay flat across the centre fold. An open book will not tend to spring back closed, which is perfect for notebooks or reference books.

A premium option is “Italian Binding” by BRAUN Denk & Werk GmbH in Germany. Their unique method works for books as small as a 2-page business card, and as big as DIN A2, and you can combine different paper grammages, colours and qualities in one product. If you like a visible spine, you can choose different colours and patterns for the cloth tape. Combine Italian Binding and Swiss Brochure for a particularly elegant look.

Swiss Brochure

A Swiss Bound cover is not attached to the spine but glued to the last page of the inner book. On the shelf, these books look like normal hard- or softcovers. When you open the book, though, its binding is revealed. Combine this with thread stitching, Italian binding or the traditional cloth tape in a contrast colour for a striking and elegant look. You can also play around with softcovers, using foldouts for information and orientation.

Pictured:

PERGRAPHICA® Magical Blue
PERGRAPHICA® Noble Red
PERGRAPHICA® Stormy Grey
PERGRAPHICA® Classic Smooth

Spécifications du projet

Papier

PERGRAPHICA® Classic Smooth, 150 g/m² PERGRAPHICA® Dark & Deep Colours

Application

Finition et pliage

Print Production

Nullacht Sechzehn Printproduktion Gmbh