Everything you need to know to specify a brochure correctly — format, page count, binding, paper and finish — with eco options at every stage.
Brochures are one of the most specification-heavy print products. Get the spec wrong and you pay more than necessary or receive something that doesn’t work.
Format
A4 is the standard and most cost-effective. A5 is popular for more personal pieces. Square formats cost more but stand out. DL fits in a standard DL envelope.
Page count
Must be a multiple of 4 for saddle-stitched brochures. Common: 8, 12, 16, 24, 32, 48 pages. Perfect bound minimum is typically 28 pages.
Binding
Saddle stitched: Two staples through the spine. Economical, suitable up to 48 pages. Perfect bound: Square spine, glued. More premium, suitable for 28+ pages. Wire-O: Lies completely flat — ideal for reference documents.
Eco specification
A fully sustainable brochure: FSC certified silk or uncoated throughout, vegetable-based inks, aqueous coating on cover instead of lamination, saddle-stitched binding. The aqueous coating provides reasonable protection without the recycling problem of plastic lamination.
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