What are grain directions in paper? Use paper with the grain running parallel to the spine (Y-grain) for saddle-stitching.

When binding ZINEs yourself, you may experience creases or cracks at the folds. This is that crinkling you get when you fold thick drawing paper. The main cause of this is often "paper grain." If you print yourself using a Risograph or similar, it can also cause paper jams or double feeds (when paper comes out without being printed on twice). It doesn't hurt to know this information.

What is Paper Grain?

Paper has a "grain." Similar to the grain of wood, it refers to the direction in which the fibers flow.

Paper is made by dissolving pulp in water and pouring the raw material onto a manufacturing machine to dry. At this time, the fibers align in the direction of flow. The finished paper is first wound into a roll and then cut into sheets. Depending on the direction of this cut, it is categorized as "long grain" (T-grain) or "short grain" (Y-grain).

Long grain (T-grain) paper has fibers flowing parallel to the longer side of the paper. Short grain (Y-grain) paper has fibers flowing parallel to the shorter side of the paper. In printing company material lists and paper sample books, they are indicated as "T-grain" and "Y-grain."

How Does Grain Direction Change Things?

Paper is easier to fold along the grain and harder to fold against the grain.

Folding along the grain is called "with the grain," and folding against it is called "against the grain." When folded against the grain, the fibers resist, causing creases or cracks in the fold. This phenomenon is called "spine cracking," where the ink on the surface of the fold peels off, creating a whitish line. This effect is particularly noticeable with thicker paper.

・Related article: Recommended paper types and how to choose them for ZINEs. Understanding basis weight and characteristics

For Saddle Stitching, Use Short Grain (Y-Grain) Paper

When saddle-stitching, you need to fold the paper in half. If the paper is not folded with the grain, creases or distortions may occur at the fold. Short grain (Y-grain) paper is suitable for saddle stitching.

For example, if you want to create an A5 finished saddle-stitched booklet. When making it by folding A4 paper horizontally (along the short edge), if the fiber flow is parallel to the short edge, i.e., short grain (Y-grain), the fold and the fibers will align, resulting in a fold with the grain. I have made saddle-stitched booklets using long-grain paper before, and I felt a lot of resistance. If the basis weight (paper thickness) and number of pages are small, it's not a big concern, but with a certain number of pages and thickness, it significantly impacts ease of binding and the finished quality.

On the other hand, for perfect binding, where the pages are not folded but glued to the spine, long grain (T-grain) paper is considered more suitable.

How to Identify Paper Grain

There are several ways to check the grain of the paper you have.

Fold it: Hold the paper with both hands and gently flex it both vertically and horizontally. The direction in which it bends easily is the grain direction.

Tear it: The direction in which it tears cleanly and straight is parallel to the grain. The direction in which it tears with a zigzag pattern is against the grain.

Moisten it: If you lightly moisten the paper, it will curl parallel to the grain.

Most commercially available copy paper is short grain (Y-grain). When ordering from a printing company, the paper specifications may indicate "T-grain" or "Y-grain."

What to Know When Binding Yourself

When saddle-stitching a ZINE yourself, if you encounter creases or cracks, checking the paper grain is the first step.

When printing yourself on commercially available copy paper and saddle-stitching, it usually works without problems. However, if you use special paper or paper that is somewhat thick, being aware of the grain direction will result in a cleaner finish. If you submit your work to a printing company, they will arrange for paper with the appropriate grain for binding. If you notice issues with the opening or creases in a bound ZINE, try checking the paper grain.

・Related article: What is saddle-stitch binding? What it can and cannot do, and how to do it.