LBS ALLURE® Cloth: Quality and Performance for Book, Packaging Manufacturers

Finely manufactured books are keepsakes — premium products that can grace the bookshelves and coffee tables of those who acquire them. The same goes for high-end packaging designed for luxury products. They are not simply packages, but vessels in which products are presented, even stored. The companies producing these items are masters of their craft, and the materials they choose are essential to their success. ALLURE® cloth, from LBS, provides them with new choices and optimized performance.

ALLURE® is a coated cloth used in the manufacture of hard-cover books – particularly trade books and high-end titles – and the manufacture of luxury packaging. The fast-growing interest in ALLURE® is driven by these manufacturers seeking a high-quality, dependable solution in the spaces they serve.

Strong availability and excellent performance enable differentiation for book and package producers. | Credit: LBS

What drives the development of ALLURE®, and its availability to users, is the strong commitment LBS has to the industries it serves. Company president and CEO Rob Mauritz says, “We believe in the book and packaging industry’s need for an accessible, consistent quality coated cloth option and we’re pleased to offer our ALLURE® cover collection in 40 colors. LBS understands accessibility is critical. This is why we’re committed to a strong inventory position.”

Developed for Usability and Performance

LBS ALLURE® was carefully developed over a period of two years to meet the coated cloth needs of the book and packaging manufacturing industries, says Patrick Spellman, senior sales representative and manager of national accounts for LBS. “Coated cloth has been an industry mainstay for decades,” he says, “but due to global supply chain challenges, acquiring coated cloth had required more planning with longer than normal lead times.” Spellman says LBS listened to book and packaging producers and heard a strong need for a new, highly-effective, easy-to-acquire product. That product, ALLURE®, was launched in early 2023.

Asked about the company’s focus on availability, Spellman says LBS, “prides itself on keeping heavy inventory on hand, and even built-up strong inventories of ALLURE® cloth before it was officially introduced to the market. And, because LBS can offer low minimums to its customers, access to ALLURE® is not only for those companies producing large-run orders. This enables manufacturers to accept smaller jobs — those more specialized, or of greater exclusiveness — from their customers.”

One of the primary goals of the development of ALLURE®, Spellman says, was to produce a solution that directly met the needs of its users, who were seeking alternative products. “We did extensive testing with our customers to determine its ability to be effectively glued and decorated with foil stamping,” he says. “We did a lot of homework. It helped us create a successful product.” Durability of the material, through an aqueous coating, was another key priority. “There’s an expectation that it should be durable,” Spellman says, and ALLURE® meets that expectation. Further, the wide variety of colors offered within the collection came from learning what publishers, designers, and manufacturers were seeking and fulfilling that need.

Strong Product Features

In addition to LBS’ strong stocking position and commitment to providing its exclusive ALLURE® products in all 40 colors:

• ALLURE® meets or exceeds Group B cloth specifications
• ALLURE® includes deep, rich vellums and natural linens
• ALLURE® has a soft hand, making it ideal for turned-edge products including books, binders, journals, menus, and packaging
• ALLURE® decorates beautifully with foil stamping or debossing
• ALLURE® is available in full-width rolls, slit rolls, and cut-sheets

Gains in Reliability and Capability

Perhaps the best proof of the quality of a new product is the enthusiastic acceptance of those who use it. “Based on the feedback we’ve received from the Allure product,” says Kortez Brown, division manager at Bindtech-Roswell, a leading book bindery, “we have migrated over to it.” Brown says the Allure line has enabled their company to do what it does more reliably. He says the Bindtech-Roswell facility, located in Phoenix, Arizona, has a strong focus on high-end, high-quality output. “We do the impossible,” he says, outlining limited edition products that include slipcases, clamshells, and cigar boxes.

Offering strong usability and durability, ALLURE® excels in complex applications, such as this high-end package.

Regarding the LBS ALLURE® line, Brown says he sees steady demand for its use, noting that products made with the cover material are easy to clean and very durable. “It’s helping push us into the restaurant space,” he says, where the material is used for custom menus and bill folders.

Asked what makes ALLURE® the right choice for Bindtech-Roswell, Brown says its availability of the product has been strong, even as availability from other sources has been irregular. Because ALLURE® is a thicker material, he says, it runs well on the company’s automated systems, which include gluing. The availability of colors has the company accessing hues that weren’t available before. Abrasion resistance is strong: “The coating,” he says, “really plays well to the longevity of a book.” Finally, for finishing, he says ALLURE® works well for foil stamping, even when the design is intricate, and also performs well for blind debossing.

The company behind the product also matters — as a support network is often essential to the use of any product. In this area, Brown highlights the service LBS provides: "I've found the LBS team to be very responsive, and our sales rep really works with us to ensure we get what we need, when we need it. It's great to have a strong level of support."

A Company Steeped in Innovation and Service

Like the book industry it serves, which has experienced a strong return to purchasing and reading of physical books, LBS is on the rise. As an industry partner, LBS provides the components needed to manufacture both hardcover books and luxury packaging. This includes decorative cover materials, boards, endsheets and endsheet paper, reinforcing materials, adhesives, and headbands. In recent years the company has expanded substantially — in 2021 with the acquisition of longtime competitor Gane Brothers and headband manufacturer FIM, and in 2022, when it acquired Cover Material Sales.

Mauritz shares that LBS celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2021, and “continues to be the industry leader in innovation and service. As a 100% employee-owned company, all our employees have a stake in our customer’s success.”

For more information, to request samples, or to place orders for ALLURE® or any LBS products, contact LBS at LBSbind.com, or call 800.247.5323. To learn more, visit LBS ALLURE® online.