FolioFox providing finishing touches on local Book Printing boom

Largely fuelled by the online hype created by BookTok-kers – a sub-community of TikTok, where book-readers and influencers review, discuss, and joke about the books they are reading – Melbourne-based commercial printer FolioFox has recently seen a spike in the demand for physical books ‘with sprayed edges and premium finishes, typically produced in short runs and turned around quickly’.

Talking to what she aptly describes as ‘a growing contradiction in publishing’, ’Tracy Yong, Brand Manager at FolioFox, says: “We’ve watched a number of Australian printers close their doors over the last few years because the economics of commercial printing are tough in today’s market. But we’re going the other direction, investing in the kind of production that indie authors and boutique publishers are increasingly asking us for: sprayed edges, premium finishes, short runs done locally and turned around quickly, which is a capability that’s previously been lacking on-shore. So it might look counterintuitive to be investing in print at a time when screens are dominating everyone’s attention, but we see that readership is shifting rather than disappearing and the readers who are still picking up physical books are doing it more intentionally, and with collecting and displaying in mind. This shift is creating its own unique market opportunity.”

Built on more than eight years of high-quality book and publication printing and guided by the tagline Print Your Potential, FolioFox combines local production with modern technology to help authors, publishers, and businesses ‘create books that inspire and endure…keeping exceptional printing proudly Australian’.

The investment that Yong refers to includes a new Melbourne showroom, where clients can explore paper stocks, finishes, and binding options in person, and the acquisition of modern edge printing technology, to support the increasing demand for special edition books – previously sprayed edge printing has largely been limited to high-volume offshore runs.

Yong adds: “The current economy has definitely made people more careful about where they invest their money, especially with printing, but it has also pushed a lot of self-publishing authors and newer independent publishers to look for smarter, more flexible local production options.”

Chloe Berry, Literary Agent & Founder of The Berry Agency, adds: “Sprayed edges are helping to drive strong early and on-release sales, tapping into readers’ desire for beautiful, collectible bookish objects. They elevate the book beyond content alone, creating a memorable, shareable moment that resonates with audiences and create a love at first sight moment for readers.”

FolioFox has also recently partnered with Book Fair Australia and Sorrento Writer’s Festival to further solidify its position as a recognised and reliable Australian book printer for short-to-mid production runs.

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