Cover and printing techniques

Cover graphics and printing play a very important role in any project as these elements give the reader a very first impression of a book. Cover images may be printed directly on the coating, usually in four-colour offset printing, but there are also many possibilities to add a special touch with lithography or letterpress printing, or by choosing a coloured paper and overprinting text and graphics using screen printing or heat printing techniques.

Digital printing

A digital printing system, such as laser or HP Indigo technology, makes it possible to achieve a result similar to offset printing but without the use of a template being as the image is transferred directly from a file. Digital technology is a great solution for printing small quantities and is mainly used in print-on-demand systems and in customised printing applications to achieve more effective and targeted communication. It is always a good idea to check which types of paper are compatible with digital printing as these are characterised by a special treatment which guarantees optimum performance.

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Binding

After printing, the book is assembled through binding. Specific papers are available for this process, their features are high abrasion, tear resistance and lightfastness, obtained using long fibre kraft pulp, in addition to anti-scratch and anti-fingermark treatments.Hardback binding involves finishing board elements (two covers and the spine) with a sheet of paper. It is also joined by many variants: these include Bodonian binding, characterised by two stiff covers and a flexible spine.

Recommended grammage
Boards: from 500 gsm to 700 gsm
Lining: from 100 gsm to 140 gsm

Illustrated books

Glossy coated paper is often used for illustrated books because the very compact surface prevents bleeding. Thanks to its greater printability, the printing screen dots are sharper and reproduction is better. Laid, embossed or pearly papers with a particular texture can also be chosen. There are also marked and natural papers which are particularly suitable for printing certain types of images, since they are treated to preserve brightness and sharpness, such as the Stucco series and X-Per papers.

Find out more about Fedrigoni special papers:X-Per, Stucco

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Jackets

Hardback covers are often accompanied by a jacket; originally intended to protect books (they are also known as dust jacket), they soon became a full-scale cover for sales. The simplest version is a sheet of lightweight paper “wrapped” around the book, but other unusual methods can also be used: for example, a folded poster may become a book jacket.

Recommended grammage da 110 gsm a 150 gsm

Cases and finishes

Cases are used for special editions, such as those containing two or more volumes, or when books are associated with other items. They may be simple card cases or presentation boxes in lined board.For limited editions or coffee table books, a full-scale box can be made, at times even involving craftsmanship processes.

Recommended grammage da 220 gsm a 360 gsm