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BINDERY PROCESSES COMPARED

METHOD	PROS	CONS
side-wire stitching	cheap; simple; sturdy; OK for short run, on demand printing	can't have spine copy; won't lie flat; loses inner margin
saddle-stitching	cheap; fast; lies flat; best for selective binding and versioning	tends to be less flexible for inserts than perfect binding; can't have spine copy
case binding	de rigueur for hardbacks; strong and durable	costly; not well suited to on-demand production
perfect binding	printable spine; inserts can be "tipped" (glued) into the folio at almost any position; perceived as "classier" format for magazines	not as strong as stitched or sewn; glue complicates recycling
mechanical binding	versatile; many variations (comb, spiral, Wire-O, etc.)	a specialty; can be expensive