Saddle Stitch Binding

Most saddle-stitched publications contain between 8 and approximately 64 printed pages, although the practical limit will depend on the paper weight and finished size. As the page count increases, the booklet becomes bulkier and may not close as neatly, so perfect binding is often more suitable for thicker magazines, reports and catalogues.

Saddle-stitched booklets can be produced as either self-cover or plus-cover publications. A self-cover uses the same paper throughout, creating a consistent and economical format for newsletters, guides and shorter brochures. A plus cover uses a heavier outer stock to provide greater durability and a more substantial, premium finish.

Saddle stitching can accommodate everything from compact A6 booklets and DL guides to A5 programmes and A4 brochures, as well as portrait, landscape and bespoke sizes. The right combination of size, page count and paper weight can help make a publication easier to handle, more economical to produce and better suited to its intended use.

With no glued spine to produce, saddle stitching is a low-cost binding methods for publications with a relatively low page count. It can be used for anything from a small digitally printed batch of instruction booklets to tens of thousands of lithographically printed programmes, magazines or catalogues.

Saddle-stitched publications can be printed on silk, gloss or uncoated stocks, depending on the required appearance and reading experience. Coated papers are often chosen for brochures and programmes where strong image reproduction is important, while uncoated stocks can give newsletters, reports and editorial publications a more natural feel.

Plus covers can also be laminated for additional protection or enhanced with finishes such as spot UV, metallic foil, embossing and die-cutting. Lamination can be particularly useful on heavier covers, helping to improve durability and reduce the risk of cracking along the fold.

The absence of a glued spine keeps saddle-stitched booklets relatively light, making them practical for handing out at events, including within fulfilment packs or distributing through the post. Through The Mailing People, our fully owned mailing house, we can manage printing, enclosing, fulfilment and postage as one joined-up service.

Saddle stitching is a highly efficient finishing process, helping to keep production times short without compromising the quality of the finished booklet.

Bishops Printers operates three Müller Martini Primera Pro stitching lines, supported by 17 folding machines, six litho presses and two digital presses. This gives us the capacity to produce everything from a handful of stapled booklets to tens of thousands quickly, efficiently and at a competitive price.

Our stitching lines produce more than 63 million saddle-stitched publications each year. According to Müller Martini, Bishops is also the largest single user of the Primera Pro model anywhere in the world.

Saddle stitching is a good choice when your publication has a low page count and you want a cost-effective, practical format. 

It works particularly well for brochures, newsletters, programmes and magazines where you want pages to open flat and be easy to read. If your page count increases beyond approximately 60 printed pages, perfect binding is likely to be a better option. 

Saddle stitching is popular because it offers a straightforward and effective solution for many printed publications. 

• It’s cost-effective compared to other binding methods 
• Pages open flat, making it ideal for spreads and visual layouts 
• It’s lightweight and easy to distribute 
• Production is fast, making it suitable for tight deadlines 

Saddle stitching is commonly used for a wide range of publications where a lighter, flexible format is preferred. 

Typical uses include brochures, event programmes, magazines, newsletters and instruction manuals. It’s particularly effective where the content needs to be easy to read and handle. 

There’s a wide choice of paper stocks available depending on the look and feel you want to achieve. 

Many customers choose coated papers such as silk or gloss for strong colour reproduction, while uncoated papers offer a more natural finish. Heavier covers can also be used to add durability and improve the overall presentation. 

Yes. Specialist finishes can be applied to enhance both the appearance and durability of your booklet. 

Lamination is often used on covers to protect against wear and prevent cracking along the fold. Additional finishes such as spot UV, foiling or embossing can be used to enhance design elements and create something a little more distinctive. 

Yes. Saddle stitched booklets are lightweight and easy to distribute, making them well suited to mailing campaigns. 

We can arrange a complete print and mailing service through The Mailing People, our fully owned mailing house, who handle fulfilment, enclosing and postage. This allows your project to move effortlessly from print to delivery. 

Yes. If you need support with the creative side of your project, we can introduce you to our wholly agency, The Graphic Design House. 

They work with organisations to develop publications and marketing materials that are visually engaging and practical. For saddle stitched projects, this includes designing layouts that make the most of full spreads and page flow. 

Saddle stitching is better suited to publications with a lower page counts and budget, while perfect binding is better suited to thicker documents that require a square spine and a more premium, book-style finish. 

If you’re unsure which option is right, we can advise you based on your page count, paper choice and how the final product will be used.

Bishops is unusual among commercial printers because we have three stitching lines. This enables us to produce 63 million stapled publications annually – in A4, A5, DL and bespoke sizes. This is supported by 17 folding machines, 2 digital printers and 6 litho presses. It means we’re able to produce everything from a handful of stapled booklets to tens of thousands, quickly, efficiently and at a competitive price.