Glued Signatures

Also known as perfect binding, glued signatures are a method of assembling a book where individual groups of pages, known as “signatures,” are glued together at the spine. This method is a common technique used in the production of many types of books, especially paperbacks and some types of hardcover books.

Glued signatures’ binding method have many benefits:

Cost-Effectiveness: Gluing signatures is generally less expensive than other binding methods, such as sewn binding. The process is more automated and requires less manual labor, which reduces production costs.
Efficiency: The process of gluing signatures is relatively fast, allowing for quicker production times. This efficiency is particularly beneficial for large print runs.
Perfect for High-Volume Printing: Glued signatures’ method is ideal for high-volume printing jobs, such as mass-market paperbacks, where cost and speed are crucial factors.

Get the best binding for your print project with personalized glued signatures binding!

As a trade printing expert, we take each binding process very seriously, so that your clients’ demands go beyond their expectations. Here’s an general overview of the glued signatures binding process:

Signatures: A signature refers to a set of pages that are printed together on a large sheet of paper and then folded, cut, or trimmed down to create a smaller group of pages. Each signature typically consists of multiple pages of the book.
Collating: Once the signatures are printed and folded, they are collated, or arranged in the correct order to form the complete text of the book.
Gluing: In the glued signature method, the collated signatures are then aligned and glued together at the spine. This is often done using a strong, flexible adhesive. The glue binds the edges of the signatures, forming a solid text block.
Cover Attachment: After the spine is glued and the text block is formed, the cover is then attached. In the case of paperback books, a soft paper or cardstock cover is glued to the spine. For hardcover books, a more rigid cover is attached, often with additional reinforcement.