Here at Artis, we understand that achieving the finest results comes from mastering even the simplest tasks with perfection.
As you’ve discovered throughout our series, we take pride in offering some of the most innovative technologies in bespoke printing. From Edge Gilding and Painting to Duplexing, Triplexing, and Concertina Binds, we provide our clients with the most elegant finishing touches modern printing has to offer.
However, that doesn’t mean we overlook the fundamental aspects of our craft. In fact, our philosophy emphasises that traditional printing and binding techniques should be executed with meticulous attention to detail.
Despite the old saying, people do judge books by their covers. A beautifully crafted cover is essential when presenting your printed materials to a client. So, in this month’s post, we’re going to take a closer look at some of the traditional methods of binding we offer, starting with these four key techniques.
This method is a popular choice for binding books, magazines, and brochures. It’s a type of ‘perfect’ binding where groups of folded pages are trimmed along the edge and glued directly to the spine.
PUR stands for Polyurethane Reactive, by far the best glue to use for this kind of bind. It is super strong—so strong that pages are surprisingly difficult to remove once stuck—while also being very flexible.
PUR has the added benefit of being extremely durable and long-lasting, so your printed material will be highly protected from even heavy use.
PUR also sticks to any surface, so any stock of paper or ink type is suitable.
Now, let’s explore Saddle Stitching—the most common and cost-effective binding method. It’s simple yet highly effective and is frequently used for magazines, brochures, and other lightweight documents.
In this technique, the pages are folded in the middle, and two or more staples (or pieces of wire) are inserted along the fold from the outside, clinching them together. While this method is widely used, it’s not the most durable option, so it’s not suitable for heavy-duty pages or thicker documents.
The spine produced by saddle stitching is thin and pointed, which means it’s not possible to print a title on the spine itself. However, we can customise the process with a range of staple colours to complement your design and branding.
Saddle stitching is lightweight, requires minimal page formatting, and offers a quick turnaround time. It’s perfect for smaller brochures, booklets, and lower page-count documents.
We covered Case Making in depth in Part 6 of this series, so be sure to check that out for a more detailed explanation.
Case Binding, while similar to case making, is a more machine-driven process. It involves using varying thicknesses of board to create a hard, durable cover for your printed materials. A typical hardcover book is a prime example of case binding in action.
In this process, the pages are arranged into groups, known as ‘signatures,’ which are glued together to form a block. This block is then enclosed in endpapers, which are used to attach it to the hard cover, completing the case binding process.
At Artis, we offer a wide array of materials for your hard cover book or brochure. Whether you envision a classic look or something modern, we can bring your ideas to life. We often combine case binding with techniques like hot foiling for added elegance and impact.
Singer Sewn Binding, also referred to as ‘Centre Sewn,’ is a highly effective and elegant technique for showcasing your document, whether it’s a luxury journal or a marketing brochure.
The process is simple yet striking—pages are sewn together along the fold through the spine, leaving the colourful stitching visible on the outside. At Artis, we offer an extensive range of thread colours, allowing you to perfectly align the binding with your design or brand identity.
This time-honoured method is best suited for single-section booklets, magazines, or brochures with fewer pages. The final result is lightweight but durable, and allows the material to open almost entirely flat. This is particularly advantageous for spreads that require images across two pages, as it minimises the amount of content lost in the centre fold, or ‘gutter’.
All of the above methods are available to our clients, so when it comes time to choose which is right for your particular needs, we’ll work with you to select the ideal bind. Whether you need a sturdy hardcover or a simple saddle stitch, we have the binding solution to every printing project.
Trellis is a stunning Brisbane development by Aria Property Group, with the creative done by Sexty Design. They used a beautiful lay-flat bind brochure to full effect with embossed colour plan endpapers and covers and a black foiled logo.
Tom Dooley Developments used an exceptional range of x7 different brochures present Argyle, New Farm, with each apartment type and penthouse brochure using the unique Artis Layflat bind for seamless presentation.
Long Pocket is a classy collaboration between PHNX Digital and developer Shayher Group. Situated in the lovely Indooroopilly suburb of Brisbane, it uses a beautiful Artis Layflat brochure to display the stunning creative to maximum effect.