Pulsio Print is just such a company. Our workforce constitutes your bespoke printing and binding specialists. Our wide range of printing techniques and binding methods ensure that all possible premium options are available for whatever extra touches of luxury you might require. Experience, expertise and advanced technology make Pulsio Print’s craftsmen experts in the production of high-end premium-quality printed end products.

Find the ideal combination of sophistication and finish in your print project with specialist materials and presentation, such as suede and cotton card stocks, white ink on black paper, coloured foil, edge painting, holographic effects, and much more.

We are a creative studio and print factory of 150 people, all with a passion to offer you a unique service and make you and your clients feel special. Museums, art galleries, renowned photographers, fine art publishers, design and creative studios, literary authors – these are our demanding customers, and we take pride in giving them masterpieces. In the world of luxury printing, making an immediate and lasting impression is crucially important, and our goal here at Pulsio Print is to surprise our clients with just how good the finished products that we deliver are.

The secret to a great bespoke product is doubling down on the quality and uniqueness. Standing out from the crowd can give you an edge over your competition. Create hardcover or paperback books, catalogues, custom notebooks, and other high-quality print products, all tailored exactly to your needs and with attention to the smallest detail.

The making of luxury illustrated editions can be expensive, but we guarantee you the most competitive possible price for the quality that such a project needs. Remember, you are in full control of your budget, and you have all the information that can help you to make the right decision. Check it out yourself by getting an online quote, using our user-friendly online calculator, or simply request a personal quotation.

Here is a brief presentation of the printing techniques we provide. You can choose between a wide range of printing methods among which you can find the perfect one for your product, starting with traditional Offset lithography printing, digital printing but also direct UV printing via UV-LED printer, large format printing, volume stickers, direct / UV printing, pad printing, solvent printing, transfer printing, flex, flock, DYE sublimation printing, heat transfer, direct to garment printing (DTG), screen printing. At Pulsio Print, we aim to offer you a 100% quality end product. This means that we work with the best hardware and software to give you consistent colour accuracy (read the full story about consistent, repeatable colour accuracy), the quality materials and the most passionate professionals to deliver the perfect product for you.

First, we present you the offset printing and the new H-UV luxury offset printing technology. We use the latest Komori H-UV offset printer to ensure consistent colour accuracy and more upscale feel of the final product. This printing technology provides an impeccable rendering and superior brightness and sharpness compared to conventional offset printing.

Traditionally, the offset printing is suitable for larger runs, specialty ink, paper or larger paper size and if you don’t need your printed projects right away.

On the other hand, if you need a small number of copies, need your printed projects quickly, and special features like color, ink, paper size, and paper type don’t really matter, you should opt for digital printing for which we use 2019 Xerox B&W and Color printers.

If you want to know more about the differences between Offset and Digital printing, you can consult our article.

This technique is known by many names – screen printing, serigraphy, silk printing. They all refer to the same thing – a millenary method that consists of using screens to transfer colours. It offers good clarity of details, vivid colours, and exceptional coverage of the print. You can print on materials of any shape, thickness and size. The price lowers in the long run prints.

There are different types of screen printing, depending on your project. This technique is most commonly associated with different goods like T-Shirts, lanyards, balloons, bags and others.

This method specializes in highly detailed short production run prints on cotton fabrics. DTG has many benefits over other traditional printing techniques. Its large range of colour options means that you don’t have to compromise as with other printing methods. It is perfect for one-time production runs. The process is entirely eco-friendly, which can be a huge factor when advertising to specific audiences. DTG can also be associated with other printing, cutting and finishing techniques.

Heat transfer can be done using either screen or digital printing, and in specific cases even using both. This is one of the best-known ways of fabric decoration. The process is fast for bulk quantities and becomes inexpensive with the long runs. Heat-transfer printing adapts well on paper, but it is also perfect for applying images to a range of materials including garments, textiles, physically hard objects like mugs. Heat-transferred images are durable, heat and water-resistant.

Sublimation printing is characterized by a process in which a substance is converted from solid to gaseous state without passing through a liquid phase. Changing the solid ink particles into a gaseous state, it is a fun and cost-effective way of personalizing your products. The high-quality end products of this printing method have seen their popularity increased due to their thickness and robustness. You can choose between a full range of colours for your project. You can use the sublimation printing technique on a number of materials such as poly cotton and polyester textile, polymer, ceramic, PVC, coated aluminum, polymer-coated metal and plastic and more. However, it is not suitable for 100% cotton materials or other natural materials.

Flock printing or also called flocking, is a printing method in which short fibers of natural or synthetic material are applied to an adhesive-coated surface. This is one of the only screen-printing methods that alter the texture of the print itself, adding a velvet or suede-like texture to the surface in bright and vivid colours that won’t get washed out. Due to the way flock is printed, the finished printed design is slightly elevated from the garment that shows off an air of professionalism and style. It comes in a basic range of colors that you can combine together.

With flex printing, the design is cut from a colored foil and then pressed onto the surface under high temperature. The possible colors are limited, but are very vivid and don’t get washed out. Flex printing is perfect on thick fabrics and materials. It adapts well on natural and synthetic materials. This method has the best result on big printing surfaces. Detailed designs are not possible with flex printing. It is suitable for small runs.

Transfer printing can reproduce high quality and complex images. It consists of printing your design in full colour, after which it is transferred to the desired surface. This is one of the best methods to use for full-colour prints. This is why it’s more interesting to use it for designs with 4 or more colours, including designs with a photograph.
This printing method adapts perfectly on glass surfaces and synthetic materials such as promotional bags, backpacks, umbrellas, hats, etc.

Solvent printing is perfect for your project if you need vivid colors and pixel-sharp image reproduction. At a microscopic level, solvent actually bites into the print media, ensuring an exceptionally strong, wear-resistant bond. You can choose to print on wood, glass, metal, plastic, fabric, ceramics and many other materials.
This printing technique offers photorealistic print quality, and offers features like glow effects, gradients and others that cannot be achieved with other more traditional methods.

Pad printing, tampography or tampo printing, is an indirect offset printing process. This technique works on the principle of gravure printing, meaning that the printing surface is embossed. It offers the possibility to print on some of the most unprintable products imaginable, turning the pad printing process into a well-established technology. This printing technique is excellent for delicate products. It provides perfect clarity on detailed designs or smaller surfaces such as barcodes and labels.

UV printing is a type of digital printing that uses ultraviolet lights to dry the ink as it is printed. Because there is no absorption on to the printing medium, the dots of wet ink do not get a chance to spread out once printed, resulting in much finer detail and sharper colours. What is more, UV dried inks offer increased resistance to fading. This type of printing is eco-friendly because no solvents are being released into the air. You can print on a number of materials including nonporous materials like plastic, glass and metals.

Sticker printing is a cost-efficient way to promote your business and boost brand recognition. They have a wide range of applications, as the customer can mount them on various surfaces such as metal, wood, leather, plastic, glass and more. Doming stickers are UV resistant and do not turn yellow. The polyurethane coating preserves the brightness of the colors so they will remain bright and vivid. Thanks to their exceptional flexibility and elasticity, they can also adhere to slightly rounded and contoured surfaces. A three-dimensional sticker will be noticed much faster than a simple, flat sticker. It will give your offer a much more upscale feel.

Large format printing is used to produce large graphics for marketing, branding, and advertising purposes. It can take many forms, but things such as construction site hoarding graphics, fleet and vehicle vinyl wraps, and printed retail graphics and displays tend to be some of the most common uses for the format. It involves the use of specialized equipment, and much bigger printers than standard commercial modules. You can choose to print in small or bigger quantities. This technique offers the possibility to print on different types of materials such as paper, PVC, self-adhesive foil, vinyl, canvas, fabrics and many others.

UV-LED printing is an easy way to create your customizable products. Cost-effective, it offers an outstanding image quality, higher customer margins on finished goods and high resistance to external weather conditions. UV inks are highly resistant to scratches, wear and tear, and sun exposure than the other traditional printing methods, ensuring a long life of printed images.

UV-LED printing is a one-step process where the ink is directly applied to an object and instantly cured by UV light. It offers the possibility to print on items with texture and dimension, including ADA-compliant signage with Braille, PVC, plexiglass, glass, wood, metal, leather, carpets and other non-standard materials.

There are many beautiful examples of the very finest paper available. You are sure to get incredible results with our range of specialty papers. There are several factors to consider when choosing paper, such as the product type and the printing technology being used, as well as the feel of the paper, its transparency, and its weight. To help you with your selection, here are the features of the most commonly used papers:

We offer the widest range of art designer papers such as Fabriano/ Fedrigoni, Arctic Paper/ Munken, Antalis/ Arjowiggins, Sirio Black Black/ Fedrigoni, Mirage suede/ Ratchford, Century cotton wove/ Fedrigoni, Imitlin/ Fedrigoni, Murillo/ Fedrigoni, Splendorlux mirror/ Fedrigoni, Symbol pearl/ Fedrigoni, Aquerello/ Fedrigoni, Cocktail/ Fedrigoni, Constellation Jade/ Fedrigoni, Ispira/ Fedrigoni and much more. Popular choices are a pearlescent luxury texture or highly tactile printing paper with a hammer effect felt mark; either way, you won’t believe the incredible results you obtain with high-quality paper and our luxury printing solutions. However, if you want to double the creativity you can opt for different printing materials: cloth, textile, plastic, ceramics, metal, wood, etc.

Black paper
Black paper is available with Spot UV, colored foil, or even white ink, printed in either matte or glossy finish. This is a bold choice compared to regular white and off-white colored paper that will surely leave a lasting impression.

Suede paper
Hard suede paper is one of the best kinds available pushing the limits of how soft and luxurious a print can be. It is unique in every way. With a suede print you are sure that your clients will remember you. The suede is soft and luxurious to the touch and at the same time rigid and robust for durability. The textured paper has a soft, raised matte finish providing a strong appearance similar to velvet. It is available in a wide range of colours and patterns. An edge painting could be a very nice addition to the final product.

Cotton paper
Cotton paper gives a simple white paper stock a touch of elegance. It consists of pulp paper with cotton fiber creating a pillowy texture that reacts perfectly to 3D details. For an incredibly beautiful finished product, we can print either digitally or with letterpress stamping. Cotton paper is known for its purity, durability and permanence. It lasts longer and holds up better under repeated handling conditions making it less likely to discolour than some other types of paper. This product is perfect for artists who want to create a fine work of art that will last.

Recycled paper
To contribute to protecting the environment, Pulsio Print offers a wide range of recycled paper such as Arjowiggins, Cocoon and others. These papers are made with 100% recycled fibre, and have a natural design and authentic texture. Recycled papers are strongly opaque, with matt lamination without uncomfortable glare, ideal for printing high quality text and images.

Metalized paper
Silver/Gold: This type of finish is elegant and pleasing to the eye. It can be applied to any size and weight of paper, making sure your print job matches the high quality of your product.
Hologram/ fluorescent: Besides the classic solutions in gold and silver, we produce our own metalized paper and holograms.
Metalized hologram transparent film: We offer an almost endless variety that might make your choice very difficult: crystals, sequins, bubbles, water drops, hearts, flowers, diamonds…
3D Metalized paper: Give more boldness to your printed materials by using this impressive effect. The geometric shapes stand out with the contrasts of matt/gloss and shadow/light, combined with a metallic glint.
Metalized paper with glitter film: This technique adds a brilliant effect to your product for a daring printing solution.

The quality of the cover reflects the overall quality of the printed product. All of our available options for covers and bindings are designed with three things in mind: easy handling and storage of the printed product, optimal comfort while reading and protection from damage during use. Our binding facility is fully equipped for a range of different techniques and focused on improving the efficiency of order completion. Our aim is to offer you a variety of options that meet the purpose of your printed product, 100% of the time.

Depending on the type of product, which may be portrait or landscape, the binding can be done at the top or left in a range of standard or custom sizes. Products that can lie flat or fold fully right around when opened is extremely important in many contexts.

The main binding methods are glued (perfect bound), sewn, stapled (for low page counts), spiral, Japanese stab binding, screw binding and case binding.

Add more value to your printed products. Make them more attractive by choosing from the various laminates, varnishes or special finishes we offer! Take advantage of the unique expertise and creative technology that we have developed through years of producing art books, catalogues and graphic novels. These are some of the finishes you can opt for when printing your premium products:

Die-cutting gives your book a completely unique look and makes it stand out from any other product. The process is used to cut shapes out of the inside section of the material, rather than trimming the edges. Laser cutting is a similar technology, used for the same purposes, but with even finer results, and is a non-contact method of paper-cutting. Pulsio Print offers both methods of cutting depending on your project, budget and preferences. Read more about this technique.

Different types of varnish offer a more economical alternative to lamination, or as a compliment to it. Varnishes increase the strength and durability of the printed product, while also adding an aesthetic sheen. There are UV, UV spot, raised, glitter and micro relief varnishes.

This is a flexible process using foil that allows you to mark a variety of different materials including plastics, rubber, leather, fabrics, paper and others. It gives your product a luxurious finish. With the possibility of being printed on stocks of dark color such as black paper, coloured foil will give your artwork a shimmer and glow, which is perfect for logos and bold fonts.

Edge painting gives life to your prints on all edges with different colours. This technique gives the perfect touch of elegance and helps your products stand out from the rest. The surest way to give it an out-of-the-ordinary look is to make its outer edges different from those of other books, either by colouring, by gilding, or with a pattern. Popular choices include business cards with painted edges.

Embossing and debossing are two techniques that create a three-dimensional image which is either impressed onto or depressed into the paper. These fashionable print options are ideal for giving a new, contemporary look to your print. They can be combined with other effects, like foil stamping, to transform a great product into a luxury one.

Embroidery doesn’t require any printing. Instead, a design is stitched into the fabric by a machine, achieving a 3D effect. This is one of the most popular methods for long-lasting garment branding due to how professional it looks. It resists very well to cleaning and sunlight.

You have an unlimited choice of colors and combinations. Possibility to work on ready-made clothes, hats, bags, gloves and other products made out of cotton, polyester, viscose, lamella.

In addition, you can provide us your logo, which can be additionally sewn or glued to the desired item. It is suitable for small quantity orders.

Laser cutting and engraving open up unlimited possibilities for paper finishing. Cut out and make bespoke items with our laser cutting machines. Pulsio Print is able to cut and engrave complex contours and designs, fast and with extreme precision.

From spot varnishing, intricate cut-outs and letterpress to silkscreen, hot foiling and embossing there is a range of solutions to help your prints stand out from the crowd. The combinatorial options available for luxury printing create an exponential number of effects that can be generated for all kinds of applications. We offer a full range of luxury printing solutions, plus you can choose between a number of materials and finishes to further enhance your product. Our professional approach allows us to give each of our clients detailed personal attention. We are able to achieve efficiency and speed using the latest technology combined with time-honoured printing methods. Our print works can be delivered all over the world!

For your unique product with your personal artistic vision you need the perfect execution: impeccable printing on a high-quality material accompanied with flawless binding…

Our dedicated team will work together with you to come up with a unique design tailored only for you, to outline your individuality and elegance. Start creating today!

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Students, office workers, librarians, publishers alike find small and large notepads incredibly useful when taking down important notes to revise later. They are so versatile, you can market them for any use: print photos of wonderful destinations for travel journals, inspirational quotes for personal notepads or beautifully engraved hardcover notebooks that will make perfect gifts.

Pulsio Print offers an array of styles and sizes. All of the standard international paper sizes are available such as A4, A5, Letter, and sizes in between such as B5, halfway between A4 and A5. A6 and A7 are suitable for handbags along with pocket notebooks and notepads. The weight of paper depends on the end-use of the notebook and whether or not you are looking for standard or luxury presentation.

Choose a glued, stitched, stapled, section-sewn or wire-o bound notebook, opening horizontally or vertically for a binding that suits you. We have a variety of materials offering superb printing capabilities for a variety of applications such as recycled cardboard, cloth, leather (natural leather and leather cloth), plastic, softcover, hardcover and many others, that can be coated and uncoated and are 100% customizable. You can even decide on blank pages or ruled pages, ideal for writing and taking notes. Our custom notebooks are printed in rich, bold colour, on uncoated white stock, standing out with a touch of luxury.

Further design options are nearly endless – you can opt for embossing or debossing to create a 3D impression, edge painting or die-cutting to enhance the value. From a simple logo header, to fully customized pages, Pulsio Print has the right solution for you.

We offer notebook printing in different sizes and types of paper allowing you to fully customize it. Depending on the type of notebook required, which may be portrait or landscape, the binding can be done at the top or left in a range of standard or custom sizes. A notebook with beautiful binding allows pages to be torn out cleanly to be stored in loose-leaf or ring binders or lever arch cases. Notebooks that can lie flat or fold fully right around when opened is extremely important in many contexts.

The main binding methods for notebooks are glued (perfect bound), stitched, stapled (for low page counts), spiral and ring binding. Here are some details:

This is a standard paperback binding method. It is not as durable or secure as other binding, such as ring binding, and should be used for notebooks that are to be treated as booklets or paperbacks and not as hard-wearing products. They do not lie flat when opened.

Choose stitched binding for small notebooks, less than 64 pages, which do not need a durable or luxury presentation.

In sewn binding, pages are folded together into sections first, which are then assembled and sewn together. Each section is then sewn into the following section along the spine. The spine is then glued and trimmed on three sides.

The sewn block is then glued together with the cover. Sewn binding allows a variety of covers (soft and hard covers) to be implemented, so the further processing thus depends on the type of cover.

This binding is perfect to give a traditional finish to a printed document.

Similar to spiral binding, this durable and secure binding method is even more stable than spiral, as it deforms less. Double rings give added strength. This is the heaviest and bulkiest binding option.

Notebooks are both really useful and easy to decorate, making them a brilliant giveaway at corporate events or during promotional campaigns.

Because they usually consist of important notes, valuable work, or great ideas, they never get thrown away.

They come in all shapes, sizes, colours and decorations. Make your customers think about your brand positively every time they need to take notes, pin down a great idea, or write something creative!

Personalize your notebook however you want with no limits, and make it distinguishable to your own personal brand. Anything is possible when it comes to custom notebooks. Little details can make a big difference when promoting your brand. You can personalize it with silk-screening, a common and economical way of printing logos or designs.

The technique consists of pushing through a mesh stretched in a frame and transferring the ink to your notebooks. Moreover, if one side is not enough, you can play with double-sided printing for cover-to-cover creativity. Now you can make your notebooks twice as decorative and display your graphic in all its creative glory!

If you are looking for a timeless design you need debossed patterns. By applying heat, the impacted areas of the notebook cover will sink to show the design of your choice, giving your company’s logo an air of sophistication, and your notebook a touch of class.

What is more, we offer notebooks with full-cover printing, so you can fill every last space. You can print high-quality pictures to cover the front and back of your notebook.

You can get simple notebooks or ones that have add-ons, such as pens, pen holders and elastic straps to keep the notebooks secured. Some notebooks also have sticky notes inside to help with efficient note-taking.

Custom printed notebooks are the perfect way to add a personal touch to your notebook and make your logo or own design stand out!

We care about the environment and provide our customers with products that are environmentally friendly. If you want to reduce your company or project carbon footprint, check out our eco-friendly notebooks! They are made entirely from recycled materials including both cover and paper.

They are fully customizable – you can add your logo, choose colors that represent your business and add your business name! Our eco-friendly notebooks come in different page counts and sizes, ensuring you can get the type of notebook that best suits your business needs.

Thus, you save money while promoting your business and saving the environment!

A simple notebook can give your brand the effective marketing it needs. How? With the abundance of brands advertising out there, making your name memorable to the public is a challenging task.

Personalized notebooks are used in daily office environments, making them a brilliant way to promote your brand and leave a good first impression. Help your new starters feel a part of the company instantly, whilst offering them a durable, professional and handy representation of your brand.

Different types of notebooks are used for all sorts of reasons, in everyday life, it’s a great way of having your brand seen by the masses.

They are an ideal, cost-effective method for promoting your business to new and existing clients. Notebooks are one of the cheapest additions you can make to your office. In the long run, buying in bulk can also save you money, making it easier for you to order more later.

Custom notebooks never compromise on quality and are far more sophisticated for office presentation. With excellent quality, unique features and potential to make your notebook perfect, we aim to give you the chance to create a truly memorable, unique and useful notebook that suits you perfectly.

We deliver on time! Every time! From conception to production, it will take 3 to 4 weeks for your project to be delivered at your door.

You have as much input in the final product as you require. If you want a tailor-made notebook and have an exciting design in mind, we’ll help you bring it to life. We’ll help you make your perfect notebook.

* The technical details, which make each process more or less difficult to apply, but which do not directly concern the customer are indicated and translated in the table as differences in “turnaround time”.
** Dimensions for hot stamping/ embossing/ debossing of 100 x 100 mm, on cover A5, print run 1000 copies.

Do you have a design in mind for your notebook printing job and need help? Contact one of our talented graphic design experts and we can help you every step of the process from conception to the final work. Start creating your notebook today!

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If you are planning a book that will properly represent your best works of art, it is a good idea to trust a proven print partner specialising in art and photography printing. Gallery and photo publishing requires the best quality that the print industry can offer. Here is where experience helps.

Even the most experienced professionals cannot give you the required quality without the necessary technology. Pulsio Print uses H-UV offset premium print technology. What does all that jargon mean to you as a published artist? You will get on paper higher resolution, realistic printing and more vibrant and vivid colours. Never again will you say “Oh, it looked better on screen!”

When you’ve found a printer that covers the requirements above, you’ll want to consider the variety of papers, finishes and add-ons that your printer offers. You don’t want to plan a luxury edition only to find yourself stuck with limited paper and finish options. It’s the content of the artwork that makes an art project unique. So choose the right form for that content and give it your unique style.

Book binding is of no less importance. As a real work of art, your book has to stand the test of time, be resistant and stable and let the reader enjoy every single page of it. Art books are often chosen as elegant gifts, and here is where quality comes first. At Pulsio Print we use our own processing line for HARD COVER-CASE book binding. Get aware of all available in Pulsio options for covers and bindings.

If you manage to find a printer that can do all that for you, you are lucky indeed. The only thing left is getting a reasonable price for your project, since, of course, luxury illustrated editions can be expensive. We can give you the most competitive possible price for the quality that such a project needs. Check it out yourself by getting an online quote, using our user-friendly online calculator or simply request a personal quotation.

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Fiction and non-fiction printing is done with black ink on white or ivory paper.

The classic paper for printing fiction and general non-fiction is bulky paper. It is used 90% of the time. Designed specifically for novel printing, this type of paper has an exceptional volume, giving your book thickness, which is very important for shorter texts, or lightness, which is necessary for longer texts. It has a high ink absorption capacity, which is why it is often preferred in mono printing. This paper can be called ‘bulky’, ‘bookwove’ or ‘uncoated’.

Bulky paper comes in various shades and qualities. If the book is illustrated, we recommend using premium paper with more weight.

Salzer / EOS / Premium Extra White or Premium Blue White / Lake 2000 / Lac 3000: these are different names for the same paper. It’s a peculiarity of manufacturers and paper distributors that they refer to one and the same thing by different names.

Made in the Salzer factory in Austria, the oldest paper mill in Europe, it is characterized by a unique feel and touch, a very good opacity and high volume (up to 2.0). There is no trace of wood. It is available in two colours: “special extra white” (white) and “special blue white” (ivory), commercially called “premium extra white” and “premium ivory”.

Alizé paper by Vizille’s paper factory is wood free and is FSC or PEFC certified. This paper combines high printability and exceptional runnability. It comes in two shades: white and gold (natural). With a volume of 2.0 and paper weight from 55 to 150 g / m², this paper is an excellent choice for novel printing.

Munken Print: Munken Print combines the most interesting properties of paper with and without wood contents. This paper’s volume, surface, strength, reading comfort and printability are optimized for novels and non-fiction. It is available in a wide range of volumes and weights to be used for both book covers and interiors of the same quality. There are also two versions of it: Munken Print Cream with creamy hue and Munken Print White with natural whiteness.

Stora Enso papers (Creamy, Lux/Belle, Classic…): made in Scandinavia, they are of an exceptional quality, and are adapted to the needs of fiction and non-fiction printing, yet illustrations print out beautifully as well. Creamy: its natural creamy colour and specially designed weights (40, 50, 55 lbs) are intended for text printing, especially lengthy books. Classic: of a rather white hue and quite neutral, this paper has good opacity and its volume of 2.0 makes it a preferred choice not only for texts but also for illustrations with deep/rich black (Manga for example). Lux/Belle: its ivory hue, volume of 2.0 and its opacity make it particularly suitable paper for shorter-length paperbacks.

The Helefoss paper produced in Sweden has a very authentic look, both in terms of its texture and hue. It is suitable for printing trade paperbacks or pocket books if you are looking for a more economical manufacturing cost.

To make up your mind and choose among the various paper rates, colours and qualities, we provide a table below. It will give you an overview that will help make an easier choice. The price indices indicate the change in the total cost of a 196-page B & W book, A5 format, 1,000 copies, depending on the paper used.

* Variation in the price of the final product (printed book) according to the paper used.

** The more wood the paper contains, the more it will tend to become yellow over time or after prolonged exposure to sunlight.

The use of offset paper is necessary if the extent of the book is quite long and the book dimensions are threatened to become disproportionate because of the book spine getting too big. You must also take into account the technical limitations of gluing machines, in the maximum spine width can be up to 60 mm. This means that the maximum extent of your novel can be 600 pages if you use 55 lbs paper with volume of 2.0. If your work is larger, then you must either reduce the weight and the volume of the paper stock, or print it in two volumes, or switch to offset paper.

If the bulky paper is usually offered in volume of 2.0, the offset is on average with a volume of 1.25. This gives you about twice as less volume for the same weight. You can then print a novel of 1000 pages on 55 lbs offset paper and stay in the technical limits of 50 mm. But the choice of offset can be dictated by aesthetic reasons and personal preferences, especially when we do not want to get a thick book at all costs.

Offset paper is generally used in white, but it can be tinted ivory or cream to give more character and originality to your novels. Offset paper appears in multiple colours: pink, orange, red, black, green, yellow, offered at high prices and used for specific projects.

Several European, Asian and worldwide manufacturers offer offset paper. Here is a selection:

Maestro, IQ-print, Mondi: three names for the same paper (due to the marketing choices of the paper manufacturer). Maestro is a popular paper name and widely used for its excellent value for money. It is made in Italy. Note that its volume is slightly higher than the rest of the offset – 1.3 – and has a really slight natural yellow tint, unlike other offset which are white or bluish white.

Fabriano Fedrigoni, Arcoset (two names, one paper): this is the paper of the Italian manufacturer Fabriano. Unlike Maestro, it has a volume of 1.25 and its shade is whiter. Made from cellulose ECF, it is acid free from alkaline reserve guaranteed for long-term preservation.

Amber graphic: Offset, extra white, uncoated wood, this paper is designed for printing books, dictionaries, manuals, brochures and catalogues. Its whiteness favours print contrast, thus texts and illustrations are reproduced with perfect quality.

Fedrigoni Palatina: Palatina paper is a Fedrigoni product, satin upper quality offset. Its ivory hue and excellent opacity make it a favourite paper of publishers. Smooth and opaque, it is ideal for perfect prints with excellent ink rendering.

Olin: Antalis’s Olin range offers you very good volume, excellent opacity and perfect quality.
It is represented by the three varieties: Premium Olin Smooth offset paper, available in 5 shades of white and 15 weights; Olin Regular vellum paper available in 3 shades of white and 10 weights – its whiteness will allow you to give more volume and strength to your works; Olin Rough offset paper – very natural to the touch and ensuring a perfect runnability, available in 3 different shades of white and 15 weights.

If you want to give a green touch to your novel and especially if the subject is suitable, you can use recycled paper. These are offset-like papers, of a higher price and a more grayish hue.

Cyclus Recycled Paper: Made from 100% recycled fibres, this paper is essential if your project demands as environmentally-friendly an approach as possible. It will be in perfect harmony with your goals thanks to its authentic textures and natural colours and tones.

Art Papers: rarely used for printing novels, these creative papers allow you to highlight your special message thanks to their feel and appearance. They will help you present to the reader in a unique way books that are accompanied by graphic art and photography. Often, the illustrations that accompany such a work are printed as one or more inserts. This allows you to combine different types of paper. In such a case, the technical and artistic assistance of a Pulsio Print adviser would prove invaluable.

The coated papers: rarely used for fiction or general non-fiction and only if this is the specific wish of the author or the publisher.

Although coated paper is rarely used for printing novel text, it is very often used for printing inserts, usually photographs or other pictures, both colour and black and white images. If the coated paper is white, the bulky or offset paper for the text is often also chosen to be white. If your choice is ivory/cream, then it is always possible to print the insert on an ivory-tinted background to keep an overall coherence. The grammage of the paper for the inserts is freely chosen from 60 to 115 lbs.

For any advice about choice of paper, do not hesitate to ask our team of experts. If you want to find the paper of your choice, please refer to the “Samples” section on our website.

Fiction or non-fiction trim sizes can take any parameters, freely chosen by the client. They are expressed in two units of measurement – centimeters or millimeters – which designate the size of the closed book (fore example 14.5 x 21.0 or 145 x 210). While you can choose whatever trim size you want, it is best to optimize the size of the book according

The most popular formats for novels and general non-fiction are 12.9 x 19.8 mm, 14 x 21 cm and 16 x 24 cm. They offer a pleasant reading experience and are easy on the eye and in the hand for the reader. Note that we always write the dimension of the width or base of the book at the beginning and then the height: 14W x 21H. This makes it possible

Not to confuse a portrait format with a landscape format, where both can have the same dimensions, 14 x 21 or 21 x 14. Other less typical formats are 12 x 18; 13 x 21; 15.5 × 23.

It is interesting to note that it is usually desirable to keep the dimensions of the book to an attractive proportion, as for example a continuation of the Fibonacci sequence and in accordance to the golden ratio 1:61 (ratio between the base to the height). But if a certain artistic take asks for it, and you are looking for originality, you can choose any trim size within the technical limits of the machines.

In a shop window book display or at a book fair, it is the cover that creates the first impression. Its job is to arouse the reader’s interest and entice them to look further, beginning the process that triggers a sale. Both the graphics (colours, artwork, style) and the text (font face, size, positioning, title text) have a role to play in attracting the potential reader. There are no hard and fast rules, but below are some recommendations.

For the cover’s text display, fonts that are too exotic or illegible have a negative effect. Each professional display font is carefully created to have a specific effect, and should be chosen carefully; too many different font faces look wrong, one or two at most will work best. Too many background images can ‘kill’ other information on the cover;
do not make the most of all the possibilities of filters and effects offered by contemporary image processing tools (Photoshop or others), and don’t clutter the image space, but of course also avoid banality. Finally, the most important thing is that the cover style corresponds to the subject of the book.

You can use either a standard paper, called ‘one side art board’ because it is treated on the outside to keep the board rigid, or a ‘two side art board’ if you want more flexibility in the cover or if there is printing on the inside of the cover as well. A third option would be art paper or structured paper such as Olin, Rives, Curious Antalis collection and others. On the cover you can choose the application of a simple varnish when it is a paper which is already structured, or various filming (matt, brilliant, selective, volume, soft touch, anti-scratch) and special effects
that you can find on the section “Standard Finishes and Special Effects” on our website.

Finally, to achieve the best possible cover, the technical aspect of the preparation of files is also important. Here is our guide on this subject: “Recommendation for the preparation of files“.

Historically, all book covers were rigid. According to publishing traditions in some countries (especially English speaking), the cover of the first edition of a book is always hardback. The use of hardcover has its practical side – a book with a hardcover lasts longer and is more resistant to external damage. It is also more pleasant to the touch.

Today, when the circulation of a book from person to person is less common and reading physical books is being slowly replaced by
electronic media, the added value of a hardback edition is that it is high-class, more professional-looking, more traditional, and it gives the impression of high quality.

The types of hardcover according to the dressing of the board are paper wrapping, cloth/leather covering and mixed covering (canvas and paper). Note also that special effects and other finishes can apply to hardcovers.

This is the traditional binding, and the most common one for printing novels and general non-fiction. The cover is called ‘paperback’ because of its maximum weight, up to 350 g/m2 one side art board or 400 g/m2 two side art board.

Added French flaps for a soft cover can add attraction value to a book, carry additional information about the author and the content, and also serve as a kind of bridge between the colour cover and the interior black and white. The recommended weight for covers with flaps is 160/170 lbs and not exceeding 200 lbs. The addition of flaps increases the price of about an extra 0.34 USD/copy.

Standard perfect bound
This is the binding method that sticks the different gatherings of pages of the book, assembled in several ‘notebooks’, to the cover with the use of hot glue.

PUR binding
PUR binding is the same process as perfect binding but with a specific polyurethane glue. It allows sticking together qualitatively thick books, especially if coated paper is used for the pages and in cases when the paperweight is greater than 80 lbs regardless of their thickness.

Section sewn/Sewn
This binding method is used when there is a large number of page gatherings in the book. In this case, they are sewn in addition to being glued. Even though in modern times PUR glue can replace stitching, the more elegant appearance of a sewn book with only a slightly higher price make this an excellent option.

On the basis of a book of 196 pages B & W, A5 format, 1000 copies, here are the variations on the final price:

You can read more about binding on the “Book Binding” page.

The purpose of applying certain cover finishes (film coating, varnishes, etc.) is not just to make your monochromatic book stand out from the rest. Finishes often play a purely utilitarian role. The film coating protects or serves as a support for other embellishments such as selective varnishes or volume (raised) UV; UV or machine varnish will
protect an artistic paper or craft cover whose surface is fragile and may be stained. Canvas dressing in hardcover can’t be printed, the only way to add an effect is to use embossing, debossing, hot stamping or screen
printing.

Other elements can complete the appearance of your novel: add a dust jacket to the hardcover, a head and tails band, a banderol or single book foil wrapping, a bookmark, a lace bookmark (in the hardcover edition)…

The following table will give you some guidelines depending on your budget and wishes:

Pulsio Print advisors will be happy to assist you with all stages of the process, from the design of your book to the final creation of a beautiful object as rich in physical form as it is in content.

Check our price: it’s free and it only takes seconds!