The great staple debate: is it really the best way to bind a zine?

I've been making zines for about three years and I keep seeing people swear by stapling as the only 'real' binding method. I made a batch of 50 last week and the staples kept jamming my old Swingline. I think sewing or even just a simple fold can work better for thicker paper or more than 12 pages. But some folks in my local group say anything else looks sloppy. What's your go-to method for a 16-page half-sheet?

2 comments

2 Comments

spencerw721mo ago

My old Bostitch stapler gave up on page 8 of a 20-page run last fall, and I haven't looked back. For a 16-pager, I've been doing a simple saddle stitch with embroidery thread, it holds way better on 100lb paper. The stapler purists in my scene are just afraid of a needle.

parker_foster531mo ago

My last stapler jammed on a client's flyer, total mess lol