Trade cloth is an extremely strong and resilient fabric widely used for bookbinding, typically applied to hardcover book covers. Commonly made of cotton, linen or synthetic fibers and decorated with patterns or designs before being stamped with either gold or silver foil stampings for embossing effect, trade cloth can provide hardcover book binding with an aesthetic look and embossed embossments for added depth and embossment effects.
Trade cloth is an extremely durable fabric bookbinding material often used to cover hardcover books. Composed of cotton, linen, wool or polyester fibers (or all these combined!), trade cloth is ideal for creating protective book covers which won’t tear during handling or reading sessions. Trade cloth can easily combine with other materials like paperboard to form an impregnable shell around any book that holds true against moisture damage and spills!
Trade cloth has long been used as a bookbinding material since it first emerged during early bookbinding techniques, when wooden book boards were covered with it. While its usage has since decreased due to more reliable mass-production materials such as paperboard, many fine-binding companies continue using trade cloth when creating stunning and long-lasting hardcover books.
Trade cloth has been used since bookbinders began covering books with decorative fabrics to bind books during bookbinding in the 15th century. Trade cloth’s popularity grew even more during the 18th and 19th centuries when bookbinding became an art form; some bookbinders continue using it today when creating custom or handmade books.
This article details the uses and applications for trade cloth in books. Trade cloth can be used to protect, reinforce, create a book cover as well as bookmarks or protective covers; thus making this material an invaluable way of safeguarding and improving any book!
Trade Cloth can be an indispensable addition to books, providing protection from wear and tear while adding visual appeal and helping keep pages free of dust.