Printed Softcover

Our softcover books have a glued binding with a crisp square spine. This is the most common type of binding for softcover books. Covers are printed in full color and can be finished with one of our three laminate options, or various finishing options.

Interior Papers

Our books are printed on high quality papers made by trusted and environmentally responsible American paper mills. We have chosen papers from Neenah, Mohawk, and Domtar which print beautifully on our presses and help to create strong and reliable bound books. Many of the papers we use are manufactured using renewable energy, and all are FSC certified.

Super Smooth Uncoated
This paper is great for art, photography and illustration books. The super smooth surface and bright white base allow for accurate and vivid color reproduction. We stock this paper in two weights, 100lb text weight (148gsm) and 80lb text weight (120gsm). The page count of your book will dictate which weight will be used.

Matte Coated
Matte coated paper is another excellent option for art, illustration and especially photography books. It offers the print quality benefits you get from coated paper — rich detail and vibrant color — without the high gloss finish of some coated offerings. Matte coated is a good choice for designs that feature solid color graphics and backgrounds. We stock this paper in 100lb text weight (148gsm).

Smooth Uncoated
We suggest using this paper for books which are primarily text, such as poetry, fiction and memoirs. This paper is slightly rougher and toothier than our photo & art paper described above. Color images still print very nicely on this stock, though it feels more appropriate for text based books. We stock this paper in 80lb text weight (120gsm), though lighter weights are available for books with high page counts. 

Natural Tone Uncoated
This paper is identical to the paper described above, but with a pleasing warm white color. Natural tone papers are considered to be easier on the eyes than bright white papers, and are frequently used for poetry books, novels, and any other text based book which does not contain many, if any images. Color images will not print accurately on this stock as the paper base is not a true white.  We stock this paper in 80lb text weight (120gsm), though lighter weights are available for books with high page counts.

Vellum Uncoated
We have added this luxurious vellum paper to our line in response to our customers request to have a more toothy paper for their books. This is a bright white paper with good opacity and thickness. The vellum surface texture appears slightly more matte than the smoother papers we offer. Color images print well on this paper, though blacks will not print quite as dark as they would on the super smooth uncoated or matte coated papers described above. We stock this paper in 80lb text weight (120gsm) only.

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Whether you are publishing a simple gallery catalog or a high-end portfolio, we offer a range of cover decoration options that will allow you to create a beautiful, custom book cover.

Finishing Options

Whether you are publishing a simple gallery catalog or a high-end promotional piece, we offer a range of cover decoration options that will allow you to create a beautiful, custom book cover. The options available are dependent up on the type of book you are ordering. Visit our specifications page to learn more about finishing options and limitations.

Cover Laminate
Laminate provides both strength and beauty to your book’s cover. We strongly recommend adding it to your printed softcover. We can apply either gloss, semi-matte, or soft touch matte laminate to softcover books. Gloss laminate provides a high sheen finish which is resistant to dirt and smudging, while soft touch matte laminate feels softer in the hands. Semi-matte laminate is scuff proof, offering much of the protection gloss laminate provides without the shiny surface. When choosing your laminate, please consider that matte laminates dulls dark colors, while a gloss laminate preserves a rich black. This may alter the appearance of your cover.

Foil Stamping
This traditional cover decoration can be added to softcover books. The process is age-old and involves making a custom copper die from your digital files, heating the die, and then pressing the foil colored impression into the cover material. Foil stamping is a finicky medium, and some foil colors do not stamp well when certain designs are combined with particular book cover materials. If we find that the foil color or finish you have chosen does not stamp well on your book, we will contact you to suggest an alternate option.

Custom Finishing Options
We offer a variety of additional custom finishing options. They are considered on a case by case basis, as some of these options cannot be applied to certain book types. For more information and pricing, please contact us directly or see our specifications chart. Additional options for softcovers include:

• Inside Printed Cover 4/4
• Gatefolds (fold-out pages) 
• Linen Dust Jackets
• Printed Dust Jackets
• Softcover Flaps (French Folds)
• Vellum inserts (printed or unprinted)

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