21 Sep The Personal Touch: Bespoke Binder Details

The Personal Touch: Foil Blocking, Stitched Labels and Bespoke Binder Details

Menu covers, ring binders and stitched labels don’t have to be an afterthought.

Here’s how a few small details change a functional item into a branded one…

It’s an easy assumption to make when ordering menu covers, ring binders and presentation folders that these are functional items; the packaging around the real content, rather than part of the design itself. When we are presented with a brief where the cover is as much a part of the presentation as the contents, we consider every aspect of the setting; how this item will be used, how the client wants a customer to feel when they hold the finished item. This can change not only the recommendation we make but also how we advise on materials and finishes.

Creating memorable moments with touch

We can all imagine the moment we take a seat at our favourite restaurant; a luxurious menu is handed to you, foil blocked and de-bossed, giving the surface genuine texture and shine rather than a flat printed finish. From the first touch, the feel tells you as much about the quality and care you are about to experience as the service itself.

For a restaurant, hotel or wine list, the difference between something a guest handles briefly and something which truly reinforces the experience and expectation is an important aspect of your brief. The same is true in a corporate environment whether you are providing binders for clients or prospects to hold important documents. Part of the identity of the company, brand and values, these simple items need to represent your business wherever they are.

Adding thoughtful details such as pockets for cards, pen loops, elastic closures and metal corner fixings can all add to the finish and perception to the holder — all details that get specified once and then simply work, service after service.

Stitched labels

One of the smallest details we offer is also one of the most effective: a stitched-on label. We recently produced sets with a simple “Sewn in Suffolk” tag stitched directly into the binding cloth. It’s a detail which quietly signals where and how the work was made. For brands that care about provenance and craft, the details are worth celebrating – and will be noticed.

Binders don’t have to be boring

Ring binders can be considered more than just a purely utilitarian item. Producing binders using lever arch, O-ring, D-ring and inner wing mechanisms, with a choice of brass or nickel binding screws, binders and the finish can create items to be kept and used again and again. Covers can use traditional binding cloths and papers to printed or laminated sheets. Finishing with foil blocking or de-bossing can convey premium cues to the recipient, without significant cost.

Nearly every binding project has room for detail to make it feel bespoke, even when the run size is large. If you’re specifying menus, binders or presentation materials for a client, it’s worth asking your bindery what’s possible before you assume the plain version is the only option.

Talk to the Hipwell team today how to add the personal touch your customers and clients will remember.