Speaker: Professor Hu Zhongye from the Bookbinding Research Institute
Bookbinding materials are divided into: bookbinding cloth, polyurethane (PU), and flocked paper.
I. The History of Bookbinding Cloth in China:
II. Classification of Bookbinding Cloth:
American natural silk; Dutch linen; Japanese decorative bookbinding cloth (a branch of kimono, characterized by fabrics as delicate and exquisite as the country's character. Two major brands: Danic and Toyo-shin); Taiwanese bookbinding cloth;
The era of various imitation bookbinding cloths in mainland China (a notable difference: while the same binding cloth may appear identical, imported fabrics are naturally soft, while domestic fabrics contain softeners and are considered harmful).
How to distinguish good and bad bookbinding cloth: 1. Soft to the touch; 2. Visually straight and level; 3. Free of small impurities on the surface.
Bookbinding cloth is produced in two ways: vat-dyed and tank-dyed. The numerous processes involved are not detailed here.
Because bookbinding cloth is a custom product, it can only be mass-produced based on the sample ordered at the time. If the same binding cloth is to be used later, it can only be reproduced by recreating the same conditions (color value, color temperature, dryness, labor, pre-processing of the cloth, post-processing, and many other processes).
Tip: Binding cloth is mostly used for cultural binding. Experimenting with various techniques can create exquisite book binding designs.
III. PU
PU is divided into: oil-finished PU (commonly used in China), suede PU, and water-based PU (non-toxic and environmentally friendly). *The first two are petroleum-based products and therefore contain harmful ingredients.*
PU has a lifespan of 1.5 to 2 years, and gradual shedding is normal.
PU refers to a material that looks and feels like genuine leather and is commonly used in notebooks.
There is also a jewelry-specific knitted PU material that looks like fabric and has good stretchability.
PU can be developed through various post-processing techniques:
Color: hot press color change, friction color change (a friction texture that appears with prolonged friction), stress color change, and new processes developed based on functional needs.
IV. Flocked Paper
Flocked paper is divided into: woolen (chemical fiber, industrial petroleum-based) and viscose (environmentally friendly, animal-based).
How to distinguish good flocked paper: 1. Smell; sour indicates poor quality. 2. Good paper is clean and free of impurities. 3. It feels smooth and comfortable.
Flocking Techniques:
Partial flocking, long-pile flocking with short-pile flocking, double flocking (pictures illustrate the above three types, so I won't describe them here; the results are guaranteed to be excellent), colored flocking, printable flock (printing four colors on velvet; its strong ink absorption results in a more rustic color scheme; leave some white space, and add a desiccant when printing), and two-color cotton.
Some product packaging abroad is experimenting with printing and flocking on specialty paper, resulting in a unique, tactile pattern.
Tip: Designers are all about design, but rarely experience production. I've rarely used these materials, but the results are certainly unique, creative, and striking.
"Paper Days"
Speaker: Mr. Chai from Lanbiyuan Group (focused on paper research and services)
I. History of Specialty Paper
Specialty paper entered China in 1995.
Paper types include: virgin paper (made from virgin wood pulp) and recycled paper.
Virgin paper:
Short fiber: The paper is uniform and used for printing;
Long fiber: Used for packaging, bookbinding, etc.
Recycled paper: Environmentally friendly paper made from used printing paper or recycled paper. Its disadvantage is that embossing is not obvious (the paper composition is not tough enough).
Paper Characteristics: Uniformity, stiffness, and folding resistance.
II. Paper Classifications:
Coated paper (a coating is applied to the paper fibers, allowing the ink to embed into the coating, resulting in vibrant colors. Widely used in China); Uncoated paper (the paper fibers are highly ink-absorbent, allowing the ink to absorb into the paper, resulting in a simple and elegant color. Commonly used abroad); Pearlescent paper;
Textured paper; Specialty paper (for example, foreign tiger paper, which is tear-resistant and comes in kraft and white);
Common Processes: Hot stamping, embossing, UV, die-cutting, and laser engraving.
Custom Paper:
The minimum order quantity is one ton, which can produce 500 standard-sized tote bags.
Papermaking: Color, texture, weight, width, and iron penetration.