Bestype Printing in New York City has enthusiastically helped New Yorkers from all walks of life with zine printing for almost 40 years. Whether you want to tell stories about life, art, or music, Bestype is the ideal partner to bring your vision to life. Our services may not date back as far as the zine itself (which originated in the 1930s), but New Yorkers have relied on our services during the last huge spike in zine production, which occurred in the mid-1980s and lasted through the mid-1990s.) Today’s customers are reimagining the zine for themselves and their peers. Once again, they’re becoming oft-used by both businesses and individuals. We’re experiencing a new wave of creativity in zine printing, and Bestype is the right place to go when you’re ready to start your zine.
Customers are asking two major questions about zine creation right now. The first is, “How do you print a zine?” and the second is, “How much does it cost to print a zine?” The answers to these questions depend entirely on the specific details of your project. The volume of your zine printing and the thickness of each copy is a major determinant of the total cost. There are other factors to consider as well, like materials, printing technology, and binding methods.
Zine printing in NYC with Bestype is more advanced and more affordable than what the 80s and 90s zine creators had available to them. Computers and desktop publishing services are accessible in ways they’ve never been before. Digital printing services are faster than ever too! We’ve printed thousands of copies of hundreds of different zines over the decades, so you can trust that nobody knows zine printing better than Bestype. Creators depend on us because they know that we have the skills to print any zine and make every copy look amazing. When you work with us, we will:
At Bestype Printing, we work with individuals and businesses in all different industries to deliver flawless print marketing. We use only the most innovative technology coupled with our commitment to matching NYC’s dynamic vibe.
Request a QuoteNow that you have a better idea of what zine printing services in NYC we offer, let’s talk a little more in-depth about zines. Zines are, in essence, self-published booklets. They can be about any topic you can think of. As previously mentioned, many zines feature content like cutting-edge art, reviews of the latest music releases, and information about the latest fashion trends. Other zines have a literary focus, publishing poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and other written works of all stripes. They even often contain print interviews with notable personalities.
Zines can be local and hyperfocused, covering art in one neighborhood, a fan community, or a specific swath of NYC nightlife. They can also focus on broader topics. Even art, self-published comics, manga, and graphic novels can take advantage of the zine format. What you need to keep in mind is that zines have no rules. For self-publishers, custom zine printing schedules mean that your projects:
There is no denying that we’re in a zine renaissance. Today’s zines can be digital and print creations or appear as old-school magazine paper-only copies itching to be held and read. Bestype will help your idea come to life through zine printing in NYC and we will offer all the support you need to get your zine printed.
The zine creation process has several steps, just like any other type of printing process. We typically utilize a seven-step process that has proven effective for decades. In the following sections, we’ll detail the process we use for custom zine printing in New York City.
There’s nothing we would love more than the opportunity to hear about your zine idea and discuss the concept with you. During this meeting, we can map out the printing process. Our printing experts will set a timeline that takes every part of the process into account, leaving plenty of time for reviewing and proofreading before we go to the final print. You can start planning, as you’ll know when we can print your publication run and when the physical copies of your zine will be available to be picked up for mailing or distribution.
When handling your zine printing in NYC, we can also ship your order to bulk mailing sites so they can be sent out by the postal service. Are you setting up a booth at local shows like ComicCon? Tell us! In most cases, we can arrange delivery of your zines to the site during your booth set-up date and time. Throughout the lifecycle of your new zine, our technicians will give you the support you need and answer any questions that arise about your order. Even the most technical questions about your zine’s layout can be answered in a clear and concise manner. We’re 100 percent committed to making your zine the absolute best that it can be.
After you consult us, you can begin writing, photographing, drawing, or otherwise collecting the content for your zine. Once you have everything you want to include, you can begin thinking about how it will be presented. The way your content flows in your zine matters, and we can assist you if needed. While some zine publishers have experience with digital tools like InDesign (or other open-source design software), others prefer to spread out their content on a table manually and forego digital assistance.
There’s just one key exception to the “no rules” philosophy on our zine printing in NYC: Bestype needs your pages laid out in the sequence in which you want them printed. Communicating your page-ordering system is required if you want the best results so we can successfully print your zine. Confused about how to organize the pages? Get in touch and our printing technicians can assist you in making the right decisions.
Know what you want to include in your zine? Great! Now it’s time to organize it. There are important questions to answer. What is your zine’s size and orientation? Large, small, portrait, or landscape, we can handle it. How many pages would you like to include? Are there images that spread out over facing pages? Once we have the answers to these questions and have discussed them with you, we can start assembling the draft of your zine.
While many of Bestype’s zine printing customers know and love their desktop publishing tools, you don’t need any publishing applications to create a zine of your very own. If you would like extra help with desktop publishing, talk to us. We can give you access to templates that may speed up the process. Still, even without any desktop publishing packages, you can create your zine. Just order your text and images as you want them to appear, scan your pages in the appropriate sequence, and head on to the next step.
Exporting your digital files to a high-quality PDF will lock in your text, graphics, and layout. Then, we use these PDFs to easily and quickly start our process of zine printing in NYC at our SoHo store. If you find that there are any errors in your sample proof documents, do not fear. We have remedies for all kinds of typos and we’re trained in various methods of fixing problems before completing the final print run.
The choice of paper and cover stock can meaningfully affect the final product and we have multiple combinations of cover stock and paper varieties to choose from. Interior pages can be coated or uncoated, for instance, depending on how much weight you would prefer. Maybe you’d prefer your zine to be self-covered, which is when the cover page finish and weight match the finish and weight of the interior pages. Whatever your preference, our team can offer insight as to which choices will be best suited for your unique project and your budget.
Another element that can have a major effect on the final look of your zine is the document’s binding. Most zines work well with affordable saddle-stitched booklet seams, but that is far from your only choice. Our other options may fit into your budget too. For instance, you could opt for perfect binding, which features a printable spine and noticeably wider page margins. Coil binding or wire-o binding is a consideration as well, which works for a notebook format. Once you know how large your zine will be, our NYC-based experts can make a recommendation as to the best binding for your project.
Deciding how many copies to print is likely to be one of the first choices you make when planning for zine printing in NYC. With a finalized design concept in hand, it’s time to consider some of the following questions:
No matter what your answer is, Bestype can make it a reality without exceeding your budget. Our digital printing and offset printing services can handle any type of project. When printing small circulation runs, digital printing tends to be the more cost-effective choice.
Offset printing is preferred if your goal is to print thousands of copies for wider distribution. Our broad range of printing services meets the needs of many companies, from small businesses to large corporations. Our innovative technology and commitment to creativity are a perfect match for NYC’s dynamic vibe.
With all of this information in hand, you’re ready to start your next zine printing project. When you work with Bestype, you can expect a professional and affordable experience, designed to be accessible to anyone who wants to self-publish content. When you get in touch with us with an idea, we will guide you throughout the entire printing process, from designing your layout to choosing a printing method to ensure your zines reach their final destination after they leave our printing presses. So, do you have an idea for a new zine? Take it and run to Bestype so we can use our skills at zine printing in NYC to pursue your passion. Get in touch with us today and find out how we can quickly and accurately print your next design.
At Bestype, printing is performed in our SoHo print shop using state-of-the-art equipment. Check out these samples of our previous work!
Bestype’s specialty printing services are targeted at marketing and advertising industry professionals, retail stores, fashion designers, and arts organizations. Digital printing is one of our most flexible options, accommodating various print sizes and paper options. The truth is that we can honor virtually any request so you and your business can order prints and trust that you’ll receive only the highest-quality results, as evidenced by reviews from our customers.
Are you a business or looking to print something as a gift? Either way, Bestype is able to take on your project. Our in-house team of printing and graphics specialists is capable of taking on anything. With our state-of-the-art equipment and passion for printing, we can bring your vision to life.
From business printing to gift options, our company offers a wide range of services, meaning our in-house team of printing and graphics specialists can work with you to complete any kind of project. We use state-of-the-art equipment and the ability to work with you throughout the process, it may be time to request a quote and find out exactly how Bestype can fulfill all your zine printing needs! For exceptional zine printing in NYC, contact us today!
