The Appeal of Unusual Bindings

Reinhard Gugler's collection of bindings provides an antidote to run-of-the-mill designs, with the added benefit that it is also a clever business idea. In an interview, the junior manager from gugler cross media in Melk, Austria, looks at the latest trends and explains why it makes sense not only to know about unusual types of bindings, but also to use them.

Mr. Gugler, your collection comprises around 25 types of binding, including a few unusual ones like Japanese binding. Are these simply high fashion ideas like the clothing seen on a fashion runway, or do they reflect a current market trend?
Reinhard Gugler: Unfortunately, everyday life is dominated by run-of-the-mill concepts. Almost 90 percent of bindings are traditional soft and hard cover designs with adhesive binding or thread stitching. Orders for back stitched, open spine and Swiss brochure are few and far between.

Why is demand so one-sided?
Gugler: Many companies are put off by the higher costs and the greater risk involved. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that many graphic designers are not so familiar the with different types of binding and therefore tend to fall back on standard techniques. When print shops receive the finished print data, it is often already too late to make any changes. This must be done during the design phase.

What factors must be taken into account when choosing a binding?
Gugler: Economic factors, such as production costs or the opportunity to rationalize the manufacturing process, play a key role in the choice of binding method. However, esthetic criteria, such as opening properties, durability of the binding, and the look of the product itself, are also important. Ideally, the binding should support or strengthen the impact of the print product.

Is it likely that unusual bindings will soon disappear from the market completely?
Gugler: No, at our company at least they are gaining ground. This is because we are gearing our products towards premium customers. This enables us to set ourselves apart from the growing competition arising from online print shops, which often offer only standard binding techniques such as adhesive binding or saddle stitching. We prefer to steer clear of "off-the-shelf" products and focus instead on concepts that call for intensive consulting services, such as art or fashion catalogs.

Where is this market segment headed?
Gugler: At gugler cross media, we are currently turning our attention away from voluminous, flashy, and standard styles towards a sense of understatement, which is where open thread sewing comes in. In many cases, the observer's attention is caught by the production process itself, which can appear to have an unfinished look to it. Sometimes, we also combine several unusual techniques. For example, we might integrate the open thread sewing in a book cover to create a style similar to that of Swiss brochure. This results in exciting creations that are very pleasant to the touch but that are not found in any textbooks.

Where do you learn these things?
Gugler: It's a passion of mine. I learned all the "traditional" binding techniques during my studies at the "Höhere Graphische Bundes-Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt" in Vienna. I'm constantly seeking to expand my repertoire and am always on the look-out for beautiful print products. I collect any unusual examples that I find.

How do you rate your prospects for the future?
Gugler: We are currently winning new customers and establishing long-term partnerships with them by bucking the current trends and managing unusual, complex projects. Our customers never go directly to the book bindery. They contact us if they want to find out about their production options. This means that I have to know this segment inside out and understand how a book sewing machine or book production line works, for example. This is the only way I can offer my customers professional consulting services and ensure that they return time and again. We have two clients from New York, for example, who commission us every season to produce their lookbooks. Both are brochures backed with lining strip , one with hand-made paper laminated on the cover and screen printing on the spine. The transport costs alone are considerable, but the customer puts his heart and soul into his collections and is prepared to go the extra mile to ensure he has the perfect platform on which to present them.

How has your binding collection been received?
Gugler: It has been a great success. The demand profile has changed. We now have more customers who come to us saying: "I've seen this design from your company and I'd like to have it, too." A printer at a different company even told me that one of his customers asked for a binding from our collection.