Are Spiral and Coil Binding the Same Thing?
Wednesday, February 10th, 2010
Are Spiral and Coil Binding the Same Thing? We get asked this question almost every day. I can completely understand the confusion. There are so many different binding formats out there. The quick answer is that spiral and coil binding are exactly the same. They are just synonyms of each other. Both terms describe the binding element in great detail. I have even heard coil supplies described as spring supplies, due to the look.
I’ve been also been asked, “Isn’t coil binding metal?” Coil / spiral binding supplies can be metal, but for the last 10 years they have been primarily made from PVC plastic. Plastic is easier to work with, more durable and available in multiple colors. The machines we sell are designed for plastic coils.
Many people also get twin-loop wire binding confused with spiral binding. I just spoke with a lady today who said, “Coil bindings are those metal loops with the straight wire going down the center, right?” Twin loop wire binding looks much different than coil binding. You can see the wire binding above.
Hopefully I have helped clarify the definition of coil / spiral binding. You can read more about coil binding by reading our detailed coil-binding guide found here.
We are always looking at new ways to help educate our customers and help them learn more about the office equipment they are purchasing. Over the past few years we added several product category guides to our Web site loaded with information. You can find those guides by going here: