The Ten Most Common Binding Styles

Smart businesses are always looking for ways to improve their image. One simple, relatively inexpensive, but often overlooked way to do just that is to put some serious thought into the appearance of your presentations, reports, and proposals. Here we list the top ten most-used binding methods, and their relative merits and disadvantages.

1. Staples: Well, they had to be mentioned. Along with paper clips, staples are, of course, easily the most common method of binding paper together. But it should go without saying that mere staples are not exactly the way to show your hard work in the best light.
2. Spiral Coil Binding: This binding style features a colored wire that winds through perforations in the booklet's edge. The ends are bent so the the wire doesn't slip through. Great for lying flat and copying, and for smaller-sized booklets.
3. Comb Binding: This is a style commonly seen in popular cookbooks and the like. Handy because it lies flat for viewing and for use in the copy machine, but perhaps a little too common-looking to use for your best presentations. One of the least expensive binding options.
4. Double-Loop Wire: Uses metal wire in twos, either twenty-one or thirty-two holes for a standard eleven inch document. Generally hard covers are used, and the look and feel is considered very elegant for the price.
5. Velobind: This is the top choice when document security is a concern. As such, it is used most often in government offices and law firms. Plastic strips are heated in order to seal the pages of the document together on the front and back, and rivets are used to hold the pages of the document together permanently.
6. Proclick: This is one of the best option for your most frequently-used and updated documents. It utilizes the same hole pattern as double-loop wire, but the binding is more easily opened and closed, allowing for quick changes when necessary.
7. Thermal Binding: One of the two (along with unibind) most book-like and permanent-looking binding styles, it is also one of the most easy to use. In a thermal binding unit, pages are simply dropped into the hard cover, and they are adhered to the cover with heated glue. You then simply allow the document to cool, and it is ready to go.
8. Zipbind: Similar to, but much more easily editable than comb binding. Simple and inexpensive to use and implement, this is a great choice for larger-run documents that may need to be changed on the fly.
9. Unibind: This style is very much like thermal binding, but the book's spine is made of steel, making the publication that much stronger and more permanent. This binding style is just as easy to use as thermal binding, and gives the same top-of-the-line look and feel.
10. Ring Binders: This is, of course, a very popular style for in-house publications such as employee manuals and policy books. Not the best choice for your top-shelf client or shareholder presentations, it is, however, easily changed and updated, even by the end-user.

Jeff McRitchie is the director of marketing for MyBinding.com and lives in Hillsboro, Oregon. He writes extensively on topics related to Binding Machines, Binding Supplies, Report Covers, Binders, Index Tabs, Laminators, Laminating Pouches, Roll Film, Shredders, and Paper Handling Equipment.