Comparing PUR Adhesive Binding to Smyth Sewn Binding

PUR case bound on the left, and Smyth Sewn on the right

We just finished back to back edition binding of 2 different titles for 2 different printers, which had some interesting things to compare. First off as you see above, they are both about the same trim size, both have custom die, gold foil stamping on the front and spine of the book, and both utilized a similar red imitation leather look cover material.

Our Divine and Cosmic Identity (on the left above) was 280 pages on a 70 lb Natural text and used Skivertex Firenze cover material with Red/Gold checkered head & tail bands. We bound this using our PUR case perfect binding method with tabbed endsheets. Text thickness was 0.75″. This was an edition run of 250 copies. The text pages were printed digitally and supplied as a collated set of single sheets.

Colvin’s Clinic (above right) was 240 pages on a 70 gloss text paper and used a cranberry red Advantage 9 cover material also with Red/Gold checkered head & tail bands. We used a Smyth sewn method, binding this from supplied 16 page signatures, with white folded end sheets. Text thickness here was 0.375″. This was an edition run of 750 copies. The text pages were printed offset and supplied in 16 page folded signatures.

So how do they compare? It is often said that Smyth Sewn Binding is superior for the layflat quality that is achieved due to the thread sewn through the fold of each signature. Here’s a picture of the 2 books side by side. Which one do you think is best? In the picture below, the smyth sewn book is on left and the PUR binding is on the right.

Smyth Sewn vs PUR binding Layflat qualities

If you have questions, I have answers! I would be happy to discuss which method of binding might be most suitable for your next project. Please let me know how we can help. mpugh@houchenbindery.com