Our Craftsmanship

Eight features combine to ensure that our products are top of their class

· We only use the best quality paper, fabric, bookcloth and trims.

· Every sheet of paper that we use is cut with the grain parallel to the fold to ensure that it lies flat when albums are open or closed or when the paper is folded. This also guarantees that the paper doesn't crack or cockle along the fold. All machine-made paper when folded has a stronger side (grain direction) and a weaker side. For long lasting use paper needs to be folded along its grain direction.

· All fabric, paper and cardboard have matching grain directions to ensure that covers don't warp and do lie flat (absolutely essential in Asia's hunid climate).

· All albums have at least 2 and usually 3 fillers between each page to ensure that once filled with photos or memorabilia they will close and not be subjected to undue pressure by yawning open.

· All paper has 3 score lines in the loose leaf albums so that they can be folded along their grains with ease.

· All fabric edges are either turned in and covered with paper or have a ribbon trim so that they do not fray and come unstuck at the edges.

· Post bound albums have ribbon trims over the screws to ensure that they don't scratch against other items.

· Choice of paper is guided by end use so sheet thickness, paper finish and colour are item appropriate.

For all of our albums and most of our other products we use 100% virgin fibre paper made by Fedrigoni, one of the oldest Italian paper mills. The paper is archival quality, chlorine free, acid free, wood free and light fast. Papers used from other mills are always of the same quality.

Archival quality, acid free and wood or lignin free are terms that we are all familiar with but may not be so clear on their meaning and relevance. Archival quality implies that a product reaches standards required by institutions such as museums and that the materials are stable over time and resistant to decomposing, discolouring and disintergrating over a certain period of time or reacting with other materials to the same effect. The term does not carry any outside endorsement.

Many papers contains acid and lignin. Over time, and more so with poor environmental conditions, these elements will damage the paper and photos and cause photos to fade and paper to ultimately disintergrate. For preservation purposes we select papers that on the ph scale of acidic 0-7, and alkaline 7-14, have a reading of at least 7 or 7.5 to indicate chemical stability. Papers made from wood pulp contain lignin, a natural component of wood. Lignin will break down and become acidic over time. Therefore archival quality paper is acid-free and lignin-free for longest shelf life.

All of our fabrics are of the highest quality in their category. Silk brocade production has a very long history in China and is manufactured using time tested techniques that have been chosen for their long lasting, strength, durability and colourfast characteristics.

Book and album covers are joined together with book cloth a sturdy woven fabric that will withstand the opening and closing that books are subjected to . These cloths are mainly from Europe with some from Japan and all chosen for their fine appearance, colour fast characteristics and tensile strength.

Our woven satin ribbons are of the highest quality, colourfast and in most cases we dye to match our fabrics.

Drying time is of the utmost importance to paper products to prevent covers warping and at Bookworks we ensure that all of our products have been adequately dried after the manufacturing process, essential in Asia's humid climate.