Print goods · Booklets
BookletsCustom
booklets
Product guides, lookbooks, and instructions — the pages that cut your support tickets and returns, stitched to slip inside the box.
What booklets do for a product business
The unglamorous truth: a good instruction booklet is a returns-reduction tool. Products get sent back and support inboxes fill up when customers can't figure something out in the first five minutes — and a booklet in the box answers questions before they're asked. The glamorous version is the lookbook or brand story that turns an order into a browse. Both are the same object: folded sheets, two stitches, done well.
How saddle stitching works (and the multiple-of-4 rule)
Saddle-stitched booklets are built from large sheets folded in half and stapled through the spine. Each folded sheet contributes four pages — which is why page counts must be multiples of four. Ask for a 10-page booklet and you'll get 12, two of them blank; plan your content in fours and you pay for exactly what you use.
Specs we build to
| Spec | Standard | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pages | 8–48 (multiples of 4) | Beyond 48, perfect binding takes over |
| Sizes | 5.5 × 8.5 in, A5, 6 × 6 in square | Sized to fit flat inside your mailer |
| Cover | Self-cover (same paper throughout) | Plus-cover (heavier cover stock) for a more finished feel |
| Paper | 80–100 lb text | Uncoated for a natural read, silk for photography |
Booklet going inside a mailer? Tell us the box's internal dimensions and we'll size the booklet to lie flat on top of the order — first thing the customer sees.
When a flyer is enough
If the content fits on one or two panels, don't pay for stitching — a flyer or folded insert does the job for less. The upgrade to a booklet earns its cost when content needs sequence: steps, chapters, a collection presented in order.
Common questions
What's the minimum order for booklets?
500 copies per version. Booklet pricing is dominated by press setup, so the per-copy price falls quickly as quantity climbs.
Why do page counts have to be multiples of four?
Because each folded sheet in a saddle-stitched booklet yields four pages — two spreads. It's physics, not policy. Plan content in fours and nothing prints blank.
Saddle stitch or perfect binding?
Saddle stitch (stapled spine) up to about 48 pages — it's cheaper and lies flatter. Perfect binding (glued square spine) beyond that, or when you want a bookshelf look. Most product booklets never need it.
Do you lay out the pages for printing?
The imposition — arranging pages so they land in the right order after folding — is our job, not yours. Supply pages in reading order as a PDF and you'll approve a proof showing the final booklet.
Can the booklet match my box printing?
Yes, and it should — same inks, coordinated stocks, one visual system. Printed alongside your packaging, it also arrives in the same shipment.
Quote this job
Send the details and quantity — we'll reply with one straight price that includes setup and shipping, plus a cheaper alternative if one exists. Minimum order: 500 units.
Request a quote