Side-stitch binding refers to the method of binding magazines and booklets by forcing a wire through the side of the signature (printed paper folded into the size of the booklet), from the front to the back, near the spine.

This simple method was used frequently because it simplified the binding process, enabled the binding of unfolded sheets of paper, and offered the ability to bind booklets with more pages than saddle stitching. However, side-stitched books cannot be opened fully to the gutter because it binds a section near the spine. Therefore, it was replaced by adhesive binding techniques as the latter improved.