Cons of Plastic GBC Comb Binding

Plastic comb binding (also called GBC comb binding) is a staple in the binding industry...it is one of the most popular ways to punch and bind documents, and there are many pros associated with the comb binding style. But there are also some cons, or what I would prefer to simply call limitations. It is important to understand both the great things and the bad things about comb binding before you buy a machine, so you know exactly what you are getting into before you spend your well-earned cash. These guides can help you choose between comb binding and the other binding methods available. Ok, so here we go with the bad things about plastic comb bindings...

• Pages can't turn all the way around

This really isn't a big deal to a lot of companies, but sometimes you need your book pages to flip all the way around and lay back-to-back. The strip of plastic that holds the rings together prevents your pages from slipping to the back.

• The look is kind of...cheap

The plastic material and the wide comb teeth are sometimes considered to look a bit cheap. This is really just a user preference kind of thing, as well as what you need the finished book to look like / who will be seeing it. Are you presenting an expensive proposal to potential clients? Well, it might be better to use a more expensive looking binding like the coil or wire mentioned above. Or are you making cookbooks or children's books to be used in the classroom? Then the "cheap" look of a GBC comb may not matter as much.


If these plastic binding comb cons helped you determine that comb is NOT the best binding style for you, then consider one of these binding styles as possible alternatives. Or here are some links to where you can shop for everything you need for plastic binding comb binding.

Shop GBC Comb Binding Supplies • Shop Comb Binding Machines

You can also click live chat on your screen or give us a call at (866) 537-2244 to speak with our document binding experts for help choosing the best binding for you.


Mallory Morsa, Binding101 Product Expert About the Author • Mallory Morsa is the product expert and content specialist at Binding101, and has been a valued team member since 2008. She started her career here in customer service, moved onto sales supervisor, product management, and then onto content. She takes a hands-on approach to products, and truly gets to know how every item works before she writes about them, with a goal to give you all of the honest information you need to make a confident buying decision. She has a bachelor's degree with a focus on management and marketing, and has been a writer, photographer, and videographer for many years. In her free time, she loves to read by the pool, volunteer at the local animal shelter in the kitten nursery, and snuggle her three furbabies while she binge watches Netflix.