If you don鈥檛 already know the answer, you鈥檙e likely imagining the old Montgomery Ward or Sears Roebuck & Co. catalogs. If you do know the answer, congratulations! You鈥檙e officially a print nerd.听

So when was the first catalog printed?听 1498. Let鈥檚 take a look at the long and rich history of catalogs.

The First Catalog

Caption: An illustration from c.1895 believed to represent Aldus Manutius, showing works done on his printing press. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Aldus Pius Manutius founded The Aldine Press in Venice in 1495. He printed small portable books, called enchiridia, of Greek and Latin classics. (Fun fact: Manutius is the .) He was a strong believer in sharing information with a broader audience, and worked to . Before his efforts, books were extremely rare and precious items. The Aldine Press helped change this, printing more than 100 editions between 1495 and 1505. Manutius鈥� enchiridia can be considered a predecessor to the modern paperback. The profuse output is likely what led to the first known trade catalog in 1498.听

Thus began the long and rich history of catalogs.

Seeds of Change

The sale of seeds and plants plays a significant role in the history of catalogs. The was created by Dutch grower Emmanual Sweerts. It appeared at the 1612 Frankfurt Fair and featured 560 hand-tinted images of the flower bulbs he offered for sale.

Twelve Months of Flowers, an illustrated English flower catalog from 1730, shows breathtaking images of bouquets. Creator Robert Furber sold the catalog to royal and aristocratic customers by subscription. Catalogs have long been tied to luxury. Customers had the option to purchase uncolored or painted sets. These catalogs were works of art created by Flemish artist Pieter Casteels.听

The was the first major commercial nursery in the United States. It was founded in 1737 and operated until about 1865. The nursery was even visited by George Washington. Their first catalog was published in 1771, offering a selection of fruit trees.听

These seed and nursery catalogs often featured beautiful illustrations. And it seems the publishers weren鈥檛 shy about adding their personal opinions in the pages. 鈥淟adies should cultivate flowers as an invigorating and inspiring out-door occupation. Many are pining and dying from monotony and depression, who might bury their cares by planting a few seeds,鈥� wrote D.M. Ferry in the 1876 Seed Annual.听

(Fun fact: the first cactus catalog in the United States was published in 1886. Hints on Cacti, from Belgium-born cactus dealer was 鈥渁 combination cultural guide and trade catalog.鈥� That sounds a lot like the magalogs of today!)

Catalogs Pick Up

Caption: Page from the Benziger Brothers catalog of church furniture. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Catalogs picked up in the 17th century. The first instance of mail order is credited to Benjamin Franklin in 1744, but it wasn鈥檛 until that the practice became common. It鈥檚 during this time in the history of catalogs that the now-iconic Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Montgomery Ward catalogs appear.

Sears B2B Example

The Tiffany and Co. 鈥淏lue Book鈥� was first, debuting in 1845, but Sears, Roebuck and Co. was biggest.

Founded in 1886, with their first catalog published in 1894, by 1916 Sears, Roebuck and Co. mailed catalogs annually. The catalog featured detailed, accurate images of the products that were engraved directly from photographs of those objects. The entries also included detailed descriptions of the items for sale. (Fun fact: most of that copy was written by until he retired in 1908.)听

When the U.S. Mail began offering in 1896, the effectiveness of these mail-order catalogs increased. Almost anything could be purchased via mail-order catalog. Sears, Roebuck and Co. sold everything from houses to horseshoes, while more specialty catalogs flourished as well.听

Both B2B and B2C catalogs were widespread during this time. For a long time, the Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalog served both a B2C and B2B audience. They sent their catalogs directly to consumers, but supplied to merchants as well. A 1909 catalog reads, 鈥淲e want to correct the impression that may be in the minds of some merchants, that we sell exclusively to the consumer, the party who buys the goods to use. If you have this impression we are anxious to correct it. A goodly percentage of the goods we ship in all lines go direct to merchants, business houses who buy to sell again, and in some lines, especially materials and supplies, a large percentage of our good go to manufacturers, which they use in the manufacture of their wares, which in turn they sell.鈥澨�

Other B2B catalog examples we found include Benzinger Brothers Church Furniture, Automatic Door Equipment and a piece from Marietta Manufacturing Co. titled 鈥淭he Story of Sani Onyx: A Vitreous Marble for Hospitals.鈥澨�

听Cover and pages from the Automatic Power Door Mfg. Co., circa 1912. Images courtesy of . Click each photo to enlarge.听

Post-War Consumerism and the Rise of the Mall

The growth of the suburbs and construction of shopping malls following World War II had a massive impact on consumer culture. American consumerism had started after the First World War, but really took off in the 1940s, 50s and 60s.听

Wages increased, young people had more disposable income and people had more leisure time than ever before. This created a demand for consumer goods. Sears, which had previously sold solely via catalogs, opened its first brick-and-mortar store in 1925. By the 1950s the company had opened more than 700 stores in the United States. J.C. Penney, which had previously sold only through its physical locations, . The two mediums didn鈥檛 fight each other for sales. Rather, the in-store and catalog experiences played off each other to benefit sales.听

The Heyday of Mail-order Catalogs

The popularity of mail-order catalogs peaked in the 1980s. about lingerie catalogs is a fun time capsule with elements that still ring true today. The focus on luxury is something modern printed catalogs are . One jaw-dropping figure stands out: 鈥淭he Victoria’s Secret catalogue [sic] now accounts for about 55 percent of the company’s annual sales of more than $7 million, which explains why other catalogues are patterned after it.鈥澨�

(Another fun fact: catalogue is still the preferred spelling in the U.K., while Americans abandoned it for the much easier catalog. The shorter spelling first appeared around 1880 and overtook the traditional spelling around 1970, although some people in the U.S. still use catalogue today.)

In the 1990s, the stood out. It used a magalog approach, combining sales pitches with stories. And they understood their target audience 鈥� young women ages 10 through 24 鈥� and how to appeal to them.

The Great Recession

A couple of factors came together in 2007 that negatively affected the trade catalog industry. The U.S. experienced a recession as digital marketing and online shopping were becoming more popular. Many catalogs went , but that trend didn鈥檛 quite stick. Now, even online retailer Amazon puts out a great holiday catalog.听

The Future

Printed catalogs have a bright future. Consumers face a near-constant onslaught of digital distractions. Print cuts through the noise (sometimes that noise is even literal!), allowing consumers to sink into what鈥檚 displayed on the pages.听

Much like retailers learned to combine the power of brick-and-mortar stores with catalogs in the mid-20th century, catalogers today are learning to combine the power of digital access with printed catalogs. With QR codes, augmented reality and the pervasiveness of smart phones, it鈥檚 easier than ever. The enormous amount of information available about specific customers also means that catalogs can be tailored for the reader.听

If you鈥檙e ready to explore innovative ways you can stand out in the long history of catalogs, reach out to us to find out more about our catalog printing services.

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Starting Out

However you do your initial research 鈥� seeking recommendations from friends, a Google search, or picking up the phone 鈥� your initial contact with your printer will most likely be a sales representative. Sales representatives are typically knowledgeable about the print industry. At 杏吧原创, our commercial sales reps have been working in print for decades. With both substantial experience and professional and academic training, their insights can make the difference between smooth sailing and rough seas on your printing journey.

Sales rep Terri Bornick has worked in print for almost 30 years. Her background is in customer service, web printing and sheetfed printing.听

鈥淥ur training program was very thorough. I spent days or weeks in all the departments working side by side with someone there. Obviously, a lot has changed in 30 years, but I鈥檓 always learning.鈥�

Bornick works primarily with catalog customers, although she branches out into magazines and books. In the early stages, she鈥檒l try to find out about the customer鈥檚 challenges, objectives and timeline for the project. 鈥淚 like to let them talk and I just listen and make notes for follow up conversations,鈥� Bornick said.听

If she鈥檚 working with a new customer, Bornick says this is the time to discuss file prep. She may also get some test pages to be reviewed before the project is a live job with 杏吧原创. 鈥淓xisting customers already know what we can do and are usually very happy with us,” she said.听

Although many experts are involved in the process, including estimating and scheduling, your sales rep and your Customer Service Representative will be your contacts throughout the process.听

Estimating

鈥淲hen estimating a project, the more detail shared from the outset is critical in developing an accurate price,鈥� according to Estimating Manager Larry Boettcher.听

We know price is an important part of producing your catalog. Here are a few variables that can affect the project cost.听

• Trim size. This is industry speak for the final size of the printed catalog (or book or magazine or whatever you鈥檙e printing). It鈥檚 the final size after the pages have been trimmed. A slight adjustment to the overall size of the catalog may allow for the project to be run more efficiently.听
• Paper. Factors like basis weight and whether it鈥檚 coated or uncoated affect pricing. Adjusting the basis of the stock used in the catalog can save money on the printing, binding, shipping and mailing costs.听
• Page count. The most cost-effective projects are typically in even 16-page increments, but we can run in 8-page increments. Those requiring an odd 4-page increment can cost more. Running 16-page increments may require a workaround, like adding blanks pages to the back of the catalog or printing them with lines for notes.

Scheduling

Scheduling is planned around the same time estimating is done. Several factors can affect scheduling. 杏吧原创 鈥� Ripon Scheduling Supervisor Lisa Pauli shared some common things taken into consideration.

• Page counts
• Quantities
• Proof method
• Stock availability
• Amount of time needed on the press
• Amount of time needed in the bindery
• 杏吧原创鈥檚 forecasted workload

Pauli said customers can ensure their printed catalog project stays on schedule by meeting all the agreed-upon production dates. These include when the print files are due, proof approvals and turning in mail files.听

Mailing

If you are a new customer who will be mailing your printed catalog, you鈥檒l have an onboarding call with Corporate Services Mailing Specialist Vicky Dansereau. She will work to ensure everything possible is being done to hit your time and cost goals. She鈥檒l help ensure you have the proper USPS permit and discuss which class of mail best suits your needs. You may be interested in drop shipping, co-mail or other cost-saving measures. Dansereau will walk you through the mailing options best for your printed catalog.听

Stay tuned for an upcoming blog post delving into more details about mailing your printed catalog.听

Meeting Your CSR

Once pricing, schedule and credit are approved, it鈥檚 time to move forward! Your CSR will be your mail point of contact as your printed catalog moves through the plant.听

One of the first steps your CSR will take is to set up an introductory call with you to discuss important items about your printed catalog project.听

• What鈥檚 your communication preference 鈥� phone or email?听
• Which proofing options do you prefer, digital (also called soft proofs) or hard copies?听
• Confirm you have all the necessary submission guidelines
• Would you like a session with our Customer Education Specialist?听
• Will you want a digital edition?
• Whose mailing permit will you use?听
• Any concerns or expectations we may not know about?听

After your working session with your CSR, they鈥檒l set up the job in our production system and send you a secure link to , the program 杏吧原创 uses for customers to submit print files, review proofs, and make corrections to or approve proofs.听

Submitting Your Files

Once your team and your graphic designers are happy with the catalog layout, you鈥檒l submit your print files. If you have any questions or are looking to make the process easier, we offer support documents in the Client Tools section of our website. We also recommend watching a 杏吧原创 Words of Wisdom webinar, like 鈥淭he Power of InDesign Plugins,鈥� for tips to improve the design process.听

Your CSR reviews your files and confirms the file specs match what was agreed upon with your sales rep. They鈥檒l enter the final details for printing and binding your catalog into the work order. This includes pagination, which is the layout of a print piece and how it will look when it’s printed and folded on actual paper. The files then move to the job planner, who also reviews the files. If the job planner finds any issues, they鈥檒l reach out through your CSR to resolve them.听

Proofs

With the job planner鈥檚 approval, your files now move on to the prepress department. Prepress 鈥� as the name suggests 鈥� prepares your print files to go to press. Prepress creates proofs and sends them to the Quality Control department. Quality Control will review your files to ensure everything looks good. Your CSR then sends you those proofs, along with any comments from Quality Control. Depending on your preference, you鈥檒l receive a digital proof via InSite or physical copies 鈥� what we call 鈥渉ard proofs鈥� 鈥� will be shipped to you. Digital proofs are convenient and fast, but some people prefer hard proofs. Even though there鈥檚 a cost associated with creating and sending hard proofs, they remove many discrepancies that may arise such as, colors appearing differently on different screens. Images on non-calibrated screens should never drive your color decisions.

After you review your proofs, you鈥檒l be asked to request changes in writing, make changes or confirm areas of concern. If you have any changes, your CSR will review the alterations and send you a new proof. Once your proofs are approved, the job is moved back to prepress, and the scheduling department is notified the printed catalog is ready to move forward in the process.听

Prepress and Plating

If your printed catalog will be done on an offset press, the prepress department separates your files into CMYK colors. Each color (CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black or 鈥淜ey鈥�) will get its own plate, which will transfer the corresponding color of ink to the paper in layers. Check out our blog on the offset printing process for more on how it works!听

The job is plated 鈥� meaning the metal plates used to transfer each CMYK color to paper are created 鈥� and printed on the specified paper, then folded into . (Fun fact: many of our printed catalog jobs are printed on two separate presses. A web press is used for the inside pages and a sheetfed press is often used to print the cover.) Samples from each component of your printed catalog are shared with the CSR, who creates a bindery dummy. The dummy is created by putting the signatures together in pagination order and adding the cover. This creates a 鈥渄ummy鈥� book. The CSR will use the dummy to update final shipping and mailing information.听

The job is sent to the bindery, where signatures will be bound together. The bindery shares three samples with the CSR, which will be saved to use as a sample for production the next time a project comes through.听

Sending Your Catalog

It鈥檚 time to get your catalog to its final destination. The plant will mail and/or ship the job, according to what was agreed upon. Once the CSR receives a postal report and bill of lading, they鈥檒l send it to you. The billing department will send an invoice. Since postage is a big part of your project cost, and is tendered to the post office when the job is ready to mail, this is an upfront cost. Printers require the postage in advance if using their mailing permit, so make certain to plan accordingly.

What to Consider for Your Printed Catalog

Customer Care Manager Gail Novitske shared advice for people going through the process to create a printed catalog for the first time.听

鈥淪etting up print files correctly is very important, getting it right from the start can save time, money and a lot of headaches,鈥� she said. But the most important step in the process? 鈥淧lacing your project with 杏吧原创!鈥�

Ready to print your next catalog? Let鈥檚 talk!听

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Understanding the Educational Book Market

Educational books are a crucial resource in learning. From textbooks to curriculum materials, the educational book market encompasses a wide range of products. Today, we will delve into the significance of the educational book market, explore recent developments/trends, and provide insights into the future trajectory.

The Educational Book Market Consumer Audience

The educational book market primarily consists of resources designed for use in schools, libraries, homeschool settings and other educational environments. It encompasses textbooks, curriculum materials, assessment tools, teacher’s editions and workbooks.

The market is divided into two key segments: K-12 (sometimes called El-Hi) and Higher Education. The K-12 segment focuses on materials tailored for classrooms from Pre-kindergarten through high school. The Higher Education segment focuses on education beyond high school, from college and trade schools on up.听

Manufacturing Standards and Specifications for Textbooks听

Not every printer is set up to cater to the educational book market because of requisite standards for the products as demanded by this market. The Manufacturing Standards and Specifications for Textbooks requires stringent compliance addressing materials, layout and construction which must be met for the product to be deemed acceptable. The standards arose not only out of the environment for the end use of the books, but also out of concern for durability given the typical lifespan of a textbook.

History

The history of the MSST can be traced back to . Colonel E.W. Palmer, who was President of Kingsport Press, started going from state to state, meeting with publishers and state textbook directors to encourage uniform specifications. The Book Manufacturers鈥� Institute revised and approved the first print specifications on Oct. 6, 1939. Those specs were based on what was being used in Texas at the time. BMI worked with the National Association of State Textbook Administrators and the Association of American Publishers to perform tests and develop requirements for K-12 textbooks. The organization shared the impact of decades spent fine-tuning these specifications.

Standards

The MSST is currently maintained by the MSST Committee. It is made up of volunteers from BMI, the State Instructional Materials Review Association and Educational Publishers. BMI provides a 120-page guide to MSST standards .听

Those standards include regulations on things like:听

• Types of binding听
• Quality of adhesives
• What can be printed on the endsheets
• Margins
• How easily the paper tears
• Color of paper (only shades of white)
• Tightbacking (the process by which the spine of the book block is affixed to its case with a strong adhesive so it doesn鈥檛 tear away from the case)
• Gauzing (gauzing is a rigorous cheesecloth material that can be penetrated by adhesive and is used to strengthen the construction of the book)

MSST aims to define quality standards for elementary and secondary school textbooks, ensuring longevity and durability. Although MSST does not dictate manufacturing methods, it sets benchmarks to which manufacturers must comply.

Books subject to the MSST guidelines are hardcover textbooks and non-consumable books. Other educational resources like workbooks and teachers’ editions are not held to these standards.

Importance of the Educational Book Market

The educational book market holds significant importance due to its role in providing essential learning resources to students and educators. Educational books serve as a fundamental pillar of the education system, enabling effective teaching and learning experiences. It鈥檚 also a huge subset of the overall book market, whether measured by revenue/spend or units produced.听

How It鈥檚 Going

According to the Association of American Publishers, overall reached an all-time high of $29.3 billion in 2021. El-Hi and Higher Education were a significant segment of the overall market.听

• The El-Hi category revenue increased 25.3%, from $3.8 billion in 2020 to $4.8 billion in 2021. This notable increase was likely driven by students鈥� return to in-classroom learning following the COVID shutdowns of 2020.听
• Higher Education revenue grew 2.8%, from $3.1 billion in 2020 to $3.2 billion in 2021.
• The pre-COVID numbers from 2019 were also promising, with El-Hi education revenue at $4.4 billion, a 30.7% increase over 2018. Higher education hadn鈥檛 been performing quite as well. The 2019 revenue was $3.3 billion, down 10.3% from 2018.听

Those two categories combined made up a whopping 29.5% in 2019 and 27.4% of revenue for the entire book industry in 2021.

Consumer expenditure on educational books in the United States first surpassed the $10 billion mark in 2016. It stayed fairly steady for several years, then jumped to $12.8 billion in 2021, up from $10.4 billion the previous year.

Disruptions

The educational book market is witnessing significant changes, driven by advancements in technology and evolving consumer preferences. The digital education publishing market in the United States is experiencing substantial growth, projected to have a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of from 2020 to 2025. 鈥�,鈥� which surveyed 261 people about the collections of their academic libraries, found that 84.6% of survey respondents include eBooks and digital audiobooks in their collections. Roughly 90% reported having added new digital resources to their library in the past two years.听

Audiobooks have on educational books. According to IBISWorld鈥檚 Industry Report from April 2022, 鈥渟ome classrooms have turned to audiobooks, not to entirely replace traditional books, but to serve as an aid for kids who are still learning how to read as it can help them understand how words are supposed to sound and also engage them more with the reading.鈥� Audiobooks have been growing in the general book market. They made up 8% of sales in 2020, increased to 10.4% in 2021, and again to 11.3% of sales in 2022. According to OverDrive, audiobooks account for of digital book formats consumed on their classroom-focused Sora app.听

Another potential disruptor in the higher education book market is open-source educational content. Open Education Resource platforms are still a small movement, but BMI鈥檚 reports OER has had some recent successes. John McMurry, author of the best-selling McMurry Organic Chemistry text, recently to OpenStax. OER platforms work by offering open-source materials, like textbooks, free online. Oftentimes, they鈥檒l also provide the option to purchase a physical copy at a price significantly lower than traditional textbook sales price points.听

Even with the rise of digital resources, print remains a significant part of the educational book market. Repeated studies show print is more effective for learning and retention. Data technology company Broadband Now reports that don鈥檛 have access to broadband internet, meaning digital content can鈥檛 reach the entire audience, while a physical book can reach everyone.

Evolving Trends and Future Outlook

Educational book publishers are embracing digital printing. Digital print 鈥� as opposed to offset printing 鈥� lends itself to shorter book runs. The higher education book market has the potential to make the most of this method with customized textbooks. IBISWorld wrote, 鈥済iven that the majority of college and university professors have authority over curriculum and modify it regularly between semesters, publishers could provide customization options that could not only help educators tailor textbooks to courses but also limit the secondary market,鈥� which includes textbook rental and resale.听

Another boon to the educational book market is the increase in college enrollment, which IBISWorld wrote is expected to increase at an annualized rate of 0.2%. More college students means more demand for higher education textbooks and supporting material.听

As for the El-Hi educational book market, there鈥檚 good news there, too. Public funding is over the next several years. A bigger budget means districts are able to purchase more needed textbooks for their students.

Conclusion

The educational book market continues to thrive as a crucial component of the education system. With the advent of digital technologies and the emergence of alternative content sources, the market is evolving rapidly. Publishers are adapting to these changes by incorporating digital solutions and exploring new business models. As we move forward, the educational book market is poised for further growth and transformation, enabling students and educators to access high-quality learning resources in various formats. As for print, we know it will stick around, and publishers will find new ways for print and digital to work in tandem.听

Let’s Talk

Want to know more about how 杏吧原创 can help you serve the educational book market? Let鈥檚 talk!听

The post The Educational Book Market: Trends, Growth and Future Outlook appeared first on 杏吧原创.

Book Buying Habits by Month

Books sales have a seasonality. Certain times of the year have higher sales. Unsurprisingly, December is a high point every year. It makes sense sales would increase around the gift-giving holiday season. December is also a time when many workers take vacation time. Depending on the book given, this can represent a splurge or luxury gift. It may be an insightful gift into the receiver鈥檚 character, an acknowledgment of talents or interests, or so many other aspects of the giver and receiver. Books as a gift often represent a deeper understanding within a relationship, so purchases naturally spike during gift heavy holidays.

Time Spent Reading

Apart from 2020 鈥� when many were stuck at home 鈥� the average daily time spent reading has remained flat. On weekdays, the average American reads for less than 30 minutes per weekday for the period from 2018 to 2021. Weekend reading numbers were equally under an hour across the same time frame.

Number of Books Read

A Pew Research study divided readers into eight categories, by the number of books they鈥檇 read in the previous 12 months. The biggest cohort was those who said they hadn鈥檛 read any books, at 23%. However, the second-largest group was the 鈥渟uper-readers,鈥� those who self-reported having read more than 20 books in the previous 12 months.

Why Read Books?

Even with all the distractions available these days 鈥� social media, video games, Netflix 鈥� books are still being read. Reading habits and format trends have changed, but the appeal of books has never gone away. No matter what technology comes along, the basic technology of ink on paper will always hold a place in our lives. Curling up with a good screen just doesn鈥檛 sound nearly as relaxing as the alternative you鈥檙e already thinking of!

Cognitive Benefits

Reading books, engages our minds in a unique way. It stimulates critical thinking, enhances concentration and improves memory retention. Studies have shown reading can boost analytical skills, expand vocabulary, and increase overall cognitive abilities. Unlike the fleeting nature of online content, books provide a deep and immersive experience. That experience encourages sustained focus and intellectual growth. Studies have demonstrated that the interaction of additional senses improves both understanding and retention. Holding a book, even sometimes smelling the 鈥渓ibrary鈥� while you read it, improves the experience鈥檚 cognitive impact.

Escapism

It allows us to disconnect and immerse ourselves in new narratives. Getting lost in a book can .

Emotional and Empathetic Connections

Books have the power to evoke strong emotions. They can create meaningful connections between readers and characters. Through literature, readers can explore diverse perspectives, cultures, and experiences. Those experiences foster empathy and understanding. Books offer a window into the human condition, helping us relate to others and develop our .

Deep Learning and Critical Thinking

Books provide in-depth knowledge on a wide range of subjects. Through reading, we engage in Books encourage critical thinking, enabling us to evaluate, analyze and question the content we encounter. They can cause us to question what 鈥渨e know鈥� and to explore and understand the differences.

Digital Detox and Restoring Balance

In a world of constant digital connectivity, physically printed books can offer a valuable respite. It provides an opportunity to disconnect from screens. It鈥檚 a reprieve from the distractions of incoming emails, texts and other intrusions. Reading a printed book allows us to find balance in our lives. Engaging with a printed book encourages a slower, more deliberate pace, promoting mindfulness and a break from the constant distractions of the digital realm.

Changing Trends in Book Formats

Over the years, the landscape of book formats has undergone big transformations. Technological advancements and shifting reader preferences have sparked numerous changes. This gave rise to diverse formats catering to different needs and preferences.

Rise of eBooks and Digital Reading

The advent of eBooks was expected to revolutionize the publishing industry. They provided readers with portable and easily accessible digital versions of their favorite books. While eBooks have gained widespread popularity due to their convenience, they haven鈥檛 been the juggernaut they were initially expected to be. In 2022, eBooks made up about 11% of trade book sales revenue. A May 2023 report from Statista shared 鈥渆-book sales growth is sluggish. The number of e-books sold each year is notoriously difficult to track and results depend on the data provided by publishers, and official figures show annual e-book revenue has yet to reach 1.5 billion U.S. dollars.鈥�

Resurgence of Print Books

Contrary to predictions of their demise, printed books have experienced a significant resurgence. Readers still cherish the tactile experience of holding a physical book and turning its pages. They appreciate the aesthetic value of a well-designed cover. A 2020 survey by found new printed books were the overwhelming favorite among U.S. adults. Out of those surveyed, 39% preferred the format. The second-favorite book to purchase? Used printed books. Almost a third 鈥� 听31% of respondents 鈥� said they preferred used print books. Meanwhile, 25% said they preferred eBooks and 5% chose audiobooks. Even in the midst of the pandemic, demand for printed books outstripped demand for digital readers.

Audiobooks for Multitasking and Learning

Audiobooks have gained in popularity over the last decade. Sales revenue from downloaded audiobooks in the U.S. more than doubled in five years 鈥� from $342.2 million in 2017 to $839.5 in 2022. Audiobooks hold special appeal for individuals who multitask. They鈥檙e also being used as a tool in classrooms, allowing students to follow along while they鈥檙e learning to read. Sales of physical audiobooks 鈥� like CDs or the giant sets of cassette tapes I used to play during road trips in my 1991 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera 鈥� have declined since 2017. At the same time, revenue for downloaded audio 鈥� the audiobooks downloaded directly to your phone or tablet 鈥� has grown. A Statista report from May 2023 predicted 鈥渁udiobooks will continue to gather ground. Print, however, is still the preferred book format.鈥�

Comics and Graphic Novels

Comics and graphic novels 鈥� especially manga 鈥� have seen explosive growth in recent years, especially in the United States. executive director and industry analyst Kristen McLean said, 鈥淐omics and graphic novels have seen some of the fastest growth in the [US] industry since 2019, driven by unique factors including increased anime viewing during the pandemic driving new fandom for manga, consolidated sales of certain high-profile children鈥檚 series such as the 鈥楧ogman鈥� books in many outlets over the last few years, and the elevation of content from next-generation platforms like making the leap into page and screen.鈥� In 2022, manga sales brought in more than $246 million in the U.S., making up 54% of total graphic novel sales. A June 2022 by ICV2, Comichron and Statista showed revenue for printed comics and graphic novels reached $1.9 billion in 2021. In the same period, digital editions brought in just $170 million in revenue.

Graphics novels geared toward younger readers are expected to do especially well in the near future. “There were always [graphic novels] in the YA space but there are more for younger readers now. Part of that is a reaction to the disruption to education during the pandemic, but there are some really interesting things going on,” Bounce Marketing鈥檚 Robert Snuggs told .

Reading Communities and Social Media Influence

Online book clubs, reading communities and social media platforms have transformed the way readers discover, discuss and recommend books. Platforms like Goodreads, Bookstagram and especially enable readers to connect, share recommendations and spread the word about little-known books. Social media influencers and 鈥渂ooktubers鈥� also play a significant role in shaping reading trends and influencing book purchases. NPD BookScan鈥檚 Kristen McLean believes #BookTok will continue to drive book sales for a long time. She reported the group of BookTok-using authors they follow had a sales gain of 60% in 2022.

Artificial Intelligence

AI could be the next big disruptor to the book industry. However, it likely won鈥檛 be AI doing the writing for a while. An found 34% of respondents were 鈥渘ot at all interested鈥� in reading a book written entirely by AI. When asked if they would be interested in reading a book partially written by AI, 30% of those surveyed still said 鈥渘ot at all.鈥� A 2020 article in Forbes described AI-written books as However, as the technology advances, publishers are keeping an eye on it. didn鈥檛 think AI would be writing or editing all new books anytime soon, but it might play a role in distribution and marketing, or in weeding out the 鈥渟lush pile鈥� at publishing houses.

Times Keep on Changing

Despite the prevalence of digital technology vying for our attention, book reading continues to hold immense importance. New devices continue to pop up, but physically printed books remain the preferred format.

The changing landscape of books reflects the evolving preferences and needs of readers in the digital age. While eBooks and digital reading offer convenience, printed books continue to thrive, offering a sensory experience and a connection to tradition. Audiobooks provide an alternative way to consume stories. Online communities now play a big role in what people choose to read. As technology advances and reader preferences continue to evolve, it will be fascinating to see how book formats and reading habits adapt to meet the changing needs and desires of readers in the future.

Interested in putting your idea into print? Let鈥檚 talk!

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In 1984, 杏吧原创 established a scholarship program for the children of employees, and to date, more than 228 scholarships have been awarded for a total of more than $2.6 million. This year, 杏吧原创 is awarding six $16,000, four-year scholarships and three $5,000, two-year scholarships to 2023 graduating seniors.

Four-year, $16,000 Scholarship Recipients

Two-year, $5,000 Scholarship Recipients

Eligibility Requirements

Graduating seniors with a parent or guardian employed at 杏吧原创 are eligible for the annual scholarship. The children of company officers, vice presidents, upper management and outside sales representatives are excluded from the 杏吧原创 Scholarship Program. Two-year scholarships are awarded for use at trade schools and two-year community colleges. Four-year scholarships can be used at accredited four-year colleges and universities.

About 杏吧原创

杏吧原创 is a top-five book and magazine printer, a catalog printer, and the only family-owned printer of yearbooks. Started in 1937 by Don 杏吧原创, current leadership is under the second and third generations: Don O. 杏吧原创, CEO, and his son, Don 杏吧原创, president. The company operates from administrative offices and book printing and binding facilities in Marceline, Missouri; a prepress facility in Brookfield, Missouri; a sales and marketing office in Overland Park, Kansas; and magazine and catalog printing facilities in Saint Joseph, Michigan; Ripon, Wisconsin; and Fulton, Missouri. Additionally, 杏吧原创 owns the Donning Company Publishers, a specialty book publisher.

Kristin Mateski

Vice President, Marketing & Communications

913.871.2072

kristin.mateski@walsworth.com

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The Rand McNally Classroom Atlas won Best of Category for school textbooks

On working with Rand McNally, sales representative Dean Martin said, 鈥淲e have a very good partnership, as they are true professionals and have a full understanding of the entire process.鈥�

Luxury Portfolio Magazine, Volume 12, Issue 2, won Best of Category for Magazines (cover: sheetfed, interior: web)

鈥淟uxPort (as we call it) has amazing graphics and the files are prepared very well. That helps us do our job by printing a high quality coffee table type magazine. The Linen cover stock is especially nice paired with the very bright Galerie Fine text stock. The images and crossovers are what make this a great magazine,鈥� sales representative Stacy Salzman shared. She also praised the organization for their organization and for hitting their deadlines. 鈥淭heir communication style is relaxed, and they understand when challenges come up. We work very well with them and their team.鈥�

High Point Market Preview, Fall 2022, won Best of Division in Service Catalogs (4 or more colors)

Elite Traveler: The Watch Issue, Fall 2022, received an Award of Excellence in Architectural/Art/Travel/Other Magazines

鈥淓lite Traveler is a high-end tabloid format and has many cross-over advertisements. It is 杏吧原创鈥檚 high quality standards that make these ads not only pop off of the page, but the crossovers are spot on. The cover鈥檚 gold foil stamp is also something that catches the eye of the reader,鈥� said sales representative Stacy Salzman. 鈥淓lite Traveler has a very unique distribution channel, and we are very well versed in gathering the data needed to get these magazines out the door and into the proper hands.鈥�

Sophisticated Weddings, Fall/Winter 2022 won an Award of Excellence in Digital Books

Sophisticated Weddings, Spring/Summer 2022, won an Award of Excellence in Fashion/Health/Pop Culture Magazines

Rand McNally鈥檚 Road Atlas and National Parks Guide 2023 received an Award of Excellence in the Web Press Printing, Uncoated Paper (4 or more colors, heatset or coldset)

The 2023 catalog for Digging Dog Nursery received an Award of Excellence in Product/Service Catalogs (1, 2, or 3 colors)

Blue Ridge Knives鈥� Knife Center 2022-2023 catalog was given an Award of Excellence in Binding

This behemoth of a catalog is 2,256 pages, plus the cover.听They have a long relationship with 杏吧原创 and sales rep MaryAnn Magee. Our ability to produce large page counts with PUR Binding, which assures the longevity and integrity of binding, is a draw.

鈥淏lue Ridge Knives knows that I will strive to research the best possible options for them to produce one large volume instead of breaking the catalog into smaller titles,鈥� Magee said. 鈥淲orking with Blue Ridge Knives is what a true partnership is. They are flexible and available when questions or concerns occur. They understand the process of producing a large page count catalog and the details that go into it.鈥�

About GLGA

The yearly GLGA competition recognizes companies in the Great Lakes area 鈥� Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin 鈥� for 鈥渟uperb craftmanship in the design, creation and production of top-quality printed material they produce for their customers.鈥� Entries are judged on the technical expertise and quality of printing first, then on design features and the overall graphic appeal.

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Technology Breakthroughs

Way, Way Back

The first step toward modern publishing is believed to have been taken between 3,000 and 4,000 BCE. The ancient Sumerians in southern Mesopotamia started using , making marks on wet clay tablets. Those tablets would bake in the sun or a kiln, preserving written information for others to read later. This is the first known instance of writing.

As societies flourished and expanded, so did the demand for written texts. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, among others, employed skilled scribes to meticulously transcribe books by hand. These hand-drawn manuscripts took a lot of time and skill to recreate. Scribes wrote on papyrus, parchment or vellum. first appeared around AD 105 in China. Ts鈥檃i Lun, an official in the Imperial court, created a sheet of paper using mulberry and other fibers. From China, papermaking slowly spread to the rest of the world over several hundred years.

The next step toward modern publishing happened in 8^th-century China. Wood-block printing allowed for multiple copies of the same image or manuscript. Craftspeople would carve words and pictures into wooden blocks, ink them, and transfer that ink to paper. appeared in China in the 11^th century.

Johannes Gutenberg changed the whole world with his mechanized printing press. The earliest mention of this press appeared in a Strasbourg lawsuit in 1439. A Bible printed in 1455 is the oldest book from Gutenberg鈥檚 press still in existence. This printing press marked a pivotal point in history. It allowed the widespread dissemination of knowledge for the first time in European history.

Offset Printing听

With in the early 20th century, print improved in quality. Ira W. Rubel owned a lithography shop in Nutley, New Jersey. He had been using the classic lithography method, which transferred ink directly from a metal or stone plate to paper. When Rubel forgot to load a sheet and the ink transferred to the rubber offset cylinder instead, he noticed that the resulting images were sharper and clearer.

Digital Development听

Commercial printers have long defaulted to offset printing as their preferred method. Offset printing has an initial setup cost, but the price per book decreases as the amount printed in a run increases. Initially, the quality of digital printing couldn鈥檛 compete with offset. However, as digital printing improved so did its popularity.

The was first introduced in 1989. That same year Graham Nash, best known as a member of the music group Crosby, Stills & Nash, saw the 3047 in action and decided to buy his own to print reproductions of his own fine art photography. Nash went on to found , which helped champion the use and improvement of digital printing to create fine art prints.

Digital printing opened the door to publishers who preferred smaller runs. Its lower setup cost made book printing more accessible to self-publishers and also opened the doors for print-on-demand.

A Changing Industry

Big Bookstores

Do you remember the period of time when Barnes & Noble was portrayed as the villain?听 In the romantic comedy You鈥檝e Got Mail 鈥� which came out in 1998 鈥� Tom Hanks plays the owner of Fox Books, a thinly disguised representation of Barnes & Noble. In the movie, the Fox Books superstore threatens to drive Meg Ryan鈥檚 small children鈥檚 bookstore out of business. The Decoder Ring podcast did on why this premise could have only worked in the 1990s.

This was a relatively brief period of time that had a huge impact on the book industry. Laura J. Miller, an associate professor of sociology at Brandeis University, wrote about this shift in As big retailers like Barnes & Noble and Borders grew, the number of independent bookstores fell.

When mass merchandisers like Wal-Mart and Target began carrying popular book titles, it pushed book prices even lower. The deep discounts they offered changed consumer perception of books. Miller wrote 鈥渂ooks had once shared with luxury items the quality of being hard to find.鈥�

The era of giant chain bookstores arguably closed when Borders filed for bankruptcy in February 2011.

Amazon Approaches听

Retail giant Amazon was founded in 1994 as an online bookseller. It wasn鈥檛 the first online bookseller, but it was the most successful. , a former Wall Street hedge fund executive, chose books because research showed they were the most logical product to sell online. From the start, he argued that Amazon.com was not a bookseller, but a technology company that sold books. Bezos viewed their primary business as simplifying online transactions.

The convenience of purchasing books through Amazon made them even more accessible to consumers, further removing books from the perception of being a luxury good.

The eBook Era听

The first eBook reader (also called an eReader) appeared in the late 1990s but was deemed a failure due to lack of interest. The eBook push that began in the mid-2000s was much more successful. This was in part because technology had improved, but also because eBooks now had the backing of Amazon.

Amazon released its eReader in November 2007. It enticed readers by discounting the price of the eBooks available. The Kindle and its competitors 鈥� the iPad, Sony Reader and Barnes & Noble鈥檚 Nook 鈥� found popularity that initially worried retailers of physical books. However, the demand wasn鈥檛 as straightforward as it seemed.

鈥淏ook and electronics professionals worked very hard to create the demand through marketing campaigns and discounts,鈥� Miller wrote. Publishers invested resources and took risks to promote their eReaders and drive readership of eBooks. This push initially made it seem like eBooks would inevitably replace print. But that didn鈥檛 come to pass. While eBook sales have grown, they鈥檝e never come close to overtaking sales of print books.

Printing Prevails

Although eReaders still have their place in society, they never became the reading powerhouse predicted in the 2000s. found that 30% reported reading an eBook in the past 12 months, but 65% reported reading a print book. And numerous resources show that Gen Z, despite being defined as 鈥渄igital natives,鈥� value print over digital books in many situations.

The convenience of online sales still draws customers. A survey by Statista asked 3,490 shoppers where they purchased books in the past 12 months, including both online and in-store. Amazon had the most by far, with 68% saying they had purchased a book from Amazon in the past 12 months.

Even though retail giants make the most sales, the number of independent bookstores in the United States has risen. In 2009, the reported only 1,651 locations of independent bookstores. In 2015 that number was up to 2,227. The highest number recorded was in 2019 with 2,524. Independent bookstores took a dip with the COVID pandemic, but in 2022 the number was back up to 2,506.

Audiobooks听

One format to keep an eye on is audiobooks. Sales revenues of audiobooks have been continually growing, from $342.2 million in 2017 to $839.5 million in 2022. The tracked exponential growth of available audiobooks in less than 20 years. In 2007, only 3,073 titles were available. By 2021, that number had ballooned to almost 74,000.

It appears convenience is part of the appeal. Audiobooks are a popular format to consume at home or in the car and while multitasking. In fact, 73.4% of women and 66.1% of men said they multi-task while listening to audiobooks.

The rising popularity of audiobooks could be good for publishers. said they buy the same book in multiple formats and almost 70% said they are avid book readers or listeners.

Where to now?

All this information shows that the book industry is not easy to predict, but that it鈥檚 continued to evolve and stand the test of time and technology. Despite its long history, parts of the industry change and others stay the same. But one thing stays the same: people read books. They have for centuries now and they鈥檒l keep reading books.

We鈥檙e excited to see what happens with the industry in the future. 听New formats may appear, and existing mediums will rise and fall in popularity. However, we鈥檙e confident in the lasting popularity of the printed book. Despite all the options currently available, print remains the medium of choice. It鈥檚 been around for centuries and hasn鈥檛 fallen out of favor.

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Processing

Our brains process information differently depending on the medium. When reading on a screen, we tend to skim or scan the text, looking for keywords or relevant information. This behavior is known as “screen-based reading” and is associated with lower comprehension and retention rates. On the other hand, with print, we are more likely to engage in “deep reading.” With , we absorb the text more thoroughly, making connections and associations with what we already know.听

Patterns

Did you know that humans actually read screens in a different pattern than print? Eye-tracking research shows that we tend to read screens . When looking at a screen, the first part read is horizontally across the top row or upper part of the content. This is the top bar of the F. Next, our eyes tend to go across the middle of the page horizontally, like the second horizontal bar. Third, we scan content on the left in a vertical movement, along what would be the stem of the F.听

This pattern shows that people are scanning rather than reading, and the content that falls along the F is what gets seen the most. Readers scanning along the F shape miss large chunks of content.听

Print tends to be consumed linearly. Even when pictures are included on the page, it鈥檚 read line after line, page after page. This makes it less likely that information will be skipped over.听

Distractions

Print has fewer opportunities for distraction. When reading on a screen, you鈥檙e more likely to experience notifications or advertisements. Or you might want to look up a word immediately rather than figure it out from context clues, which pulls you out of the text. Print can鈥檛 ping, which means any distraction the user experiences is external.听

Memory

Research has shown that reading printed materials can have a positive impact on our memory. found that students who read printed materials retained more information than those who read digital texts. that when readers were given a short story, those who read it on a Kindle were 鈥渟ignificantly鈥� worse at recalling the events of the story compared to those who read it in paperback. found that test subjects trying to learn a new subject had to re-read the information on a screen more times than on print before they got it.听

Eye Strain

The amount of eye strain depends on the item. For example, a bright phone screen produces more eye strain than an eReader designed to mimic the look of ink on paper. Screens emit blue light, which can disrupt our natural sleep cycle and cause eye fatigue. Printed materials, on the other hand, have none of these concerns. Print is far less likely to cause eye strain and fatigue. As you likely know already, eye strain and fatigue are not conducive to learning and retention.听

Plus, there鈥檚 a desire among many, especially younger people, to digitally detox. Print provides this opportunity.听

Less Distraction

It can actually be improved with practice, or lost if it isn鈥檛 used. It can even transfer between mediums. If someone only ever skims what鈥檚 on their screen, it becomes harder for them to concentrate when reading a book.听

鈥淚 worry that the superficial way we read during the day is affecting us when we have to read with more in-depth processing,鈥� Maryanne Wolf, a Tufts University cognitive neuroscientist, told the .听

Immersion

Printed materials allow for an immersive experience. The tactile sensation of turning pages and the smell of ink on paper is a full sensory experience. Even the different ways that paper feels communicates a message. This can make reading more enjoyable, which can, in turn, lead to better retention and learning.

Physical Clues

Print comes with certain tactile cues that aid in learning and remembering. As you flip through the pages of a book, the left side starts out lighter and the right is much heavier. By the time you come to the end of the book, the left side is heavier and the right side only has a few light pages left.听

Even though this often isn鈥檛 consciously noticed, it still has an effect. Physical clues like this allow us to create something of a map in our heads, which aids in retention. Ferris Jabr explained the phenomenon in .

鈥淲e might recall that we passed the red farmhouse near the start of the trail before we started climbing uphill through the forest; in a similar way, we remember that we read about Mr. Darcy rebuffing Elizabeth Bennett on the bottom of the left-hand page in one of the earlier chapters.鈥�

The turning of pages is akin to taking steps on a trail. Your brain has an easier time recalling information when you have a sense of where it happened.听

Best of Both Worlds

Here at 杏吧原创, we strongly believe that print and digital aren鈥檛 enemies. Each has its own use. We even have a team that creates digital versions of our customers鈥� books for them. But it鈥檚 clear that print improves learning and retention. It鈥檚 the better option for educational materials. That being said, digital enhancements can help readers get the best of both worlds. A printed textbook can include a link or QR code to a video that helps illustrate the lesson.听

Want to know more about how we can help you with your print and digital products? Let鈥檚 talk!听

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Prepress

In offset printing, the colors are added to the paper in layers: cyan, magenta, yellow and black. This is referred to as CMYK. Those four letters each represent a color. The K represents black, but actually stands for the word key, key color or key plate. It鈥檚 an old-school printing term that refers to the plate with the most detail and could be used to outline an image as a guide, or key. These key plates were usually black, and tradition stuck.听

During prepress, we take your design and separate it out into those four colors, creating an engraved metal plate for each. Each layer of ink is added separately when it prints. Those four colors can combine to create a wide range of colors. When you hear someone use the words 鈥渇our-color printing,鈥� this is what they鈥檙e referring to.

Questions about how to prepare your files for prepress? We鈥檝e shared FAQs and common mistakes we see.

杏吧原创 鈥� Fulton Plant Manager Kevin Werdehausen shows prepress plates to Commercial Marketing Manager Susan Wuckowitsch.

Let鈥檚 Get Rolling

Diagram of the internal working of an offset press.

The interior of the printing press contains a series of rollers.听

Once the plates are made, we send them over to the printing press and attach them to the plate cylinder. The water cylinders apply water to the plate, which keeps the areas not using that color free of ink. Another set of rollers applies ink to the printing areas of the plate. Ink then transfers from the plate cylinder to the rubber on the blanket on the offset cylinder. This is repeated for each CMYK color. This printing technique is called 鈥榦ffset鈥� because it does not transfer ink directly onto paper like other printing methods do. Instead of going from plate to paper in two steps, ink is transferred first to a rubber cylinder and then printed on paper. The three-step offset method reduces wear and tear on the lithographic printing plate, thus prolonging its lifespan.

The view of a printed page through a loupe.

The press lays down ink for each color as a series of dots. This process is called halftoning. If each ink covered the entire surface of the paper, it wouldn鈥檛 be possible to get a wide variety of color. In fact, we鈥檇 be limited to only seven colors! Cyan, magenta, yellow and black would be possible, plus green, blue and red. Even though halftoning leaves white space between the ink dots, this is so small that it鈥檚 almost unnoticeable. If you ever visit a printing plant and see someone peering at pages through a loupe (which is an eyepiece that magnifies), this is what they鈥檙e seeing.听

What They鈥檙e Looking For

杏吧原创 鈥� Fulton General Manager Kevin Werdehausen uses a loupe to inspect a page fresh off the press.

• Proper inking
• Quality folds
• Registration
• Printing defects that may be machine or substrate related听
• Pagination
• Square fold
• Print color accurate to proofs
• Crossover to other signatures produced
• Registration of units to each other
• Side guides and cutoff are on
• Print is clean (no scum or slurring)
• Correct paper type
• Correct fold type (saddle stitch, perfect bind, tabloid, double parallel)

The ink is laid down in a specific order, from lightest to darkest. So the paper goes through the rollers with yellow ink first, then magenta, then cyan and black is last. With each set of rollers it goes through, the image gains more detail.听

After printing is complete, the paper is passed through a drying process to remove any excess moisture and set the ink. After that, it typically goes to the bindery. For more on the ways printed items can be bound, check out Binding Basics.听

What it Takes

Running an offset press is a skilled endeavor. Tim Kamphuis, Web Press Supervisor at 杏吧原创 鈥� Ripon, explained that it requires leadership skills, attention to detail, problem solving and mechanical skills.听

鈥淟eadership skills are to lead and direct the crew to produce a quality product, as goes with attention to detail.听 Great mechanical and problem-solving skills go hand-in-hand with being able to correct problems quickly to reduce the amount of waste and downtime,鈥� he explained. 鈥淭o run a press, it takes a skilled craftsman years of training and experience to become proficient.鈥�

Chris Veverka, the Press Supervisor at 杏吧原创 鈥� Saint Joseph, shared more about the skills involved in offset printing.听

鈥淵ou must have an eye for color. Communication skills are essential for working with customers during press checks. Mechanical aptitude is needed for troubleshooting unit and folder issues. You must be a quick decision maker. Sometimes quick decisions are needed for when to save and what is good during the print run. And good computer skills are needed for using the programs that now help with color and register.鈥�

Veverka added that operating a press is a physically and mentally demanding job.听

鈥淵ou have to think quickly because time costs impressions, running at 40,000+/- per hour. Any lag results in paper waste. The press is over 137 feet long and you have to be able to travel the length of the press quickly at times and lift heavy rollers with help. You are in charge of a machine that turns 4,000 lb. rolls of paper into color-accurate folded signatures at high rates of speed.鈥�

After printing is complete, the paper is passed through a drying process to remove any excess moisture and set the ink. After that, it typically goes to the bindery. For more on the ways printed items can be bound, check out Binding Basics.听

The History of Offset Printing

Offset printing is fairly modern, as far as the history of printing goes. The process for offset printing on paper was accidently discovered in 1903 by . He was the owner of a lithography shop in Nutley, New Jersey.听

Rubel had been using the classic lithography method, which transferred ink directly from a metal or stone plate to the paper. When he forgot to load a sheet and the ink transferred to the rubber offset cylinder instead, Rubel noticed that the resulting images were sharper and clearer.听

An early model of Rubel鈥檚 offset printing press is at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

Use Case

The high print quality that offset printing can produce makes it a good option for many publications. If sharp images are needed, offset printing can deliver.听

Offset printing is best for large runs. This is because the initial setup cost can be high 鈥� running the machines, preparing the plates 鈥� but the more you鈥檙e printing, the lower the cost per unit becomes. Once the plates are created and the press is running, you can quickly get large print runs in the hundreds of thousands. However, offset printing is expensive for small runs due to the setup cost. If a smaller number of items is needed, digital printing might be the better option.听

Let鈥檚 Talk

Want to know more about how offset printing might work for you? Let鈥檚 talk! Or we can discuss how other methods, like digital printing, might be a better fit.听

The post The Printing Process: Offset Printing appeared first on 杏吧原创.

Coated paper has a surface coating applied to it, made from minerals and chemicals, which gives it a specific 鈥渇eel鈥�, can impact the shade of the paper and impacts brightness, or the amount of ambient light reflected back from the surface. Think of it a little like varnish on wood or primer on a wall you鈥檙e about to paint. Uncoated paper does not have a surface coating, which gives it a natural and textured feel, but even uncoated papers can have different surface textures, depending on how much burnishing was done in the creation process.

Here are some pros for both options when it comes to of coated paper versus uncoated paper.

Uncoated: Easy to Read

Uncoated paper is generally easier to read. The lack of coating means no reflective surface, glare or sheen. This makes for enhanced readability, especially in bright lighting conditions, and correspondingly, less eye strain.

Coated: High-Quality Finish

One significant benefit of using coated paper is its high-quality finish. The surface coating provides a smooth and glossy finish that gives printed materials a professional and polished look. This finish can help to enhance the colors and details of printed materials, making them more visually appealing and attractive to readers.

Uncoated: Interactive

If you鈥檙e creating a coloring book or educational workbook, uncoated paper is the way to go. The lack of coating makes it ideal for writing on with a pencil, pen, marker or crayon. Trying to use coated paper for something that will be written in would only lead to frustration for the end user, smearing of ink, and a generally poor result for the intended purpose.

Coated: Sharper Images

Because of the mineral and chemical coating, coated paper keeps ink on the surface of the paper rather than absorbing it into the fibers. Think of when you鈥檝e accidentally left an uncapped marker on a napkin: the ink bleeds across the napkin. This is what happens with uncoated paper and printing ink. The intended image can get blurry and expanded around the edges. Coated paper, however, results in sharper and more detailed images, with less bleeding and feathering of ink. This means sharper images and more detail than you can typically get with uncoated paper. Printers call this spreading effect Dot Gain.

Uncoated: Cost

Uncoated paper is typically, but not always, the less expensive option. However, if budget is a concern, choosing uncoated paper over coated paper isn鈥檛 the only way to reduce costs. Paper weight, finishes and more can play a role. Talk to your sales rep to find what鈥檚 right for you.

Coated: Lower Bulk

When the paper is made, coated sheets usually go through additional steps which result in a thinner sheet than the same basis weight for an uncoated sheet. The additional treatment tends to pack the fibers more tightly together, resulting in a final product which will often be more compact, especially at the binding edge, compared to an identical project on an uncoated sheet.

Uncoated: Compatible with Pressure-based Applications

Want to put an emboss, deboss, letterpress or foil stamp on your pages? Uncoated is great for these applications, since the fibers haven鈥檛 already been compressed. Use of pressure-based applications makes uncoated paper even more 鈥渢ouchable.鈥�

Coated: Improved Durability

Surface coating on coated paper can make it more resistant to dirt and moisture than uncoated paper, but this depends on the 鈥渇inish鈥� of the coated paper. For example, gloss finish paper is more resistant to marking than matte or silk finishes.

Both: Tactile Feel

It is well-documented the feel of something communicates a message of its own. Uncoated paper has a 鈥渘atural鈥� feel that can convey warmth. This is especially great when you want to convey a rustic or 鈥涡苍辫辞濒颈蝉丑别诲鈥� look and feel. Coated paper can project a feeling of professionalism, luxury or sleekness. Both options are great, depending on the message you want to convey.

Both: Recyclability

Both coated and uncoated paper are recyclable! The only kind of coated paper that isn鈥檛 recyclable is . However, most coated paper used in commercial printing uses minerals. Plastic-coated paper is typically used for food, like disposable coffee cups. The same rules apply to . Uncoated paper is safe to compost, and coated papers made with organic materials like clay are also safe to compost. As a bonus, 杏吧原创 uses vegetable-based inks, which are also completely safe for compost piles.

Both: Options!

The choice of coated paper versus uncoated paper doesn鈥檛 end the decision-making process. Both options have plenty of finishes to choose from. Coated paper finishes include matte, silk and gloss. Uncoated finishes include laid, woven, parchment and felt. These can be combined with other options and applications to create a wide range of results.

Use Cases

Coated

Auto parts catalog

It鈥檚 likely a seller of automotive parts will need crisp, detailed photos of what they鈥檙e selling. Auto parts catalogs are also more likely to be in less-than-spotless environments, like garages, so the extra bit of stain resistance is especially useful.

Quilting magazine

Quilting magazine is another example of a publication whose readers will appreciate crisp, sharp, detailed images.

Uncoated

Holiday toy catalog

One of the best parts of looking through toy catalogs as a kid is circling what you want! You can make that easier on them by using uncoated paper. But if you prefer to use coated paper, you can take a page from Amazon and include a sheet of stickers with your catalog.

Educational workbook

Again, the ability to mark on the pages is key, which means uncoated paper is the way to go. And because these workbooks are typically meant to be used one time, durability isn鈥檛 a concern.

Why Not Both?

If your publication could benefit from a combination of coated and uncoated paper, that鈥檚 an option, too! 杏吧原创 printed , which used both. Seventy-two pages were printed on coated stock and 112 pages on uncoated stock. The coated pages were used for content like their detailed weather maps. The uncoated pages were for the almanac鈥檚 text-heavy content. The vibrant images on coated paper are attractive to modern audiences, but the single-color ink on uncoated paper hearkens back to the long history of the Farmers鈥� Almanac, which was founded in 1818.

There鈥檚 More!

Want to know more about your choice of coated paper versus uncoated paper? We鈥檝e got more content! Check out our blog post on paper stock and our whitepapers on coated paper and uncoated paper. Once you鈥檙e read up on paper, you can read up on Binding Basics.

Stay tuned for our next installments in the Printing Basics blog series to learn more valuable insights about the world of paper in commercial printing.

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