What is Saddle stitching?

The binding you select for your magazine or brochure will have a big impact on the look and feel of the finished product. What’s more, the binding method you select could significantly affect the cost of your printed project. One of the most popular types of binding for lightweight booklets, brochures and magazines is saddle stitching. Affordable and effective, it’s the perfect choice for projects that need to look good, feel secure and come in on budget.

What is saddle stitching?

The name ‘saddle stitching’ is actually something of a misnomer as pages bound in this fashion aren’t actually stitched but stapled. During the binding process, printed sheets are folded to form a booklet, and if required a cover is added. These are then laid over a device that looks a bit like a saddle, which is where the term saddle stitching originates from. These folded sheets are then stapled through the centre, with two or more staples. The technique is generally used for brochures and magazines that have 64 or fewer pages.

Why use saddle stitching?

The main benefit of saddle stitching is that it’s the most affordable way of binding multiple pages together. This makes it a very popular choice for companies and individuals who want to keep costs to a minimum but still want a product that looks and feels professional. Brochures and magazines that are bound using saddle stitching are durable and easy to open, making the technique suitable for a wide variety of printed products.

As well as being one of the most straightforward binding techniques, it is also one of the quickest. Making it ideal for a long print run of several thousand brochures or magazines, but is also suitable for a short print run of as few as 150 booklets. It also barely adds any weight to the printed product making it perfect for items that are mailed.

If you’re currently planning a print run and are looking for advice and ideas for making the most of your design, we can help. Explore our site or contact a member of our team to find out more.

For details about other binding methods see How to choose the right binding for your printed document