---
title: "Headband | Printing glossary | IN TEMPO"
description: "A small roll of fabric glued at the head and tail of a hardback’s spine, between the text block and the case. Once sewn in to strengthen the binding, it is now a finishing touch."
url: "https://www.intempo.fr/en/glossaire/tranchefile/"
lang: "en"
---

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# Headband

Also called Headbands and tailbands, endband

A small roll of fabric glued at the head and tail of a hardback’s spine, between the text block and the case. Once sewn in to strengthen the binding, it is now a finishing touch.

![Diagram of an open hardback seen from above: the board turned in at the edges, the spine, the square where the board overhangs the pages, the endpaper pasted to the board, the headbands at head and tail, and the ribbon showing at the foot.](https://www.intempo.fr/diagrammes/en/hardback.png)

The parts of a hardback: board, spine, square, endpaper, headband and ribbon. Diagram: IN TEMPO, licence [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en). [Reuse this diagram](https://www.intempo.fr/en/reutiliser-nos-schemas/)

## In practice

It costs next to nothing and shows every time the book is opened, so it is worth choosing the colour instead of taking the default. Match it to the cloth, the endpapers or the ribbon. The choice is made from the printer’s or binder’s swatch card, in other words from what they stock.

## Related terms

- [Ribbon marker](https://www.intempo.fr/en/glossaire/signet/)
- [Hardback](https://www.intempo.fr/en/glossaire/couverture-cartonnee/)

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