Sewn Binding (also called section sewn, thread sewn or smyth sewn)

A book should last for life, not just for Christmas! Sorry for the joke, but we like to produce high quality books that last the test of time. If you’re thinking about producing a book and have spoken to a few printers, or done a bit of research on the internet, you will have worked out that most printers use a method called “perfect binding” to produce softback or hardback book. They might also talk about “PUR” or “burst binding” (these are essentially derivatives of perfect binding) and they all use only glue to create a non-flexible spine. However, there is a higher quality method of binding called “sewn binding”. At first glance a sewn bound book looks just like a perfect bound book, but from a functionality point of view, they are like chalk and cheese. So much so that, for some types of books, perfect binding is, in my opinion, not fit for purpose!

What’s the problem with perfect bound books?

First of all you can get variable results with perfect binding. The page pull strength is affected by the type of glue, the amount of glue, the heat of the glue (holt melt), the amount of “ruffing up” of the cut edges of the paper just prior to applying the glue to the individual pre-cut pages. The pull strength of perfect binding is also affected by type of printing; Some digital presses use ink toners or oils which do not adhere to the glue, so some printers insist that printed areas should keep clear of the spine (no good for a photo book with double page spreads!). Also the page pull of a perfect bound book is seriously affected by the type of paper; uncoated paper adheres to the glue better than coated paper. Thinner paper adheres to the glue better than thicker paper. Thick paper also causes additional problems with perfect binding because it is less flexible, so when the book is opened, the books spine is more likely to be cracked open, or “broken”. If you get into the nitty gritty of paper manufacture, the paper actually binds better in one direction than the other as well!

What’s so good about sewn binding?

Sewn binding is sometimes called “section sewn”, “thread sewn” or “smyth sewn” after one of the original sewing machines. The pages are kept as folded sections so each page is permanently part of others within the book and then they are physically sewn together using thread. Each section (signature) is gathered together and the signatures are also sewn together to create a strong but flexible mesh within the spine. The spine is then glued into the cover, but using a more flexible adhesive than perfect binding. This means that not only will the pages never come out, but because the spine is more flexible, the book opens very easily, the spine can be forced flat, or “broken” without any loss of strength and the book will then lay open, or lay flat on its own. All high end books use this method of binding. This is also what we class as archive quality.