With ring binders so prevalent in business, it's important to maximize your business' efficiency with these simple organizational devices. Virtually everyone is familiar with ring binders, but discovering the fine details and accessories is what creates organized and professional presentation of materials.

The key to a professional and unique ring binder design is to think outside the box. Among such possibilities include the use of higher quality paper as well as organizational elements such as tabs, sheet protectors and pocket folders. For a proper portfolio, consider purchasing the following supplies for ring binders:

1. Economy binders store and organize your business' documents for minimal cost.

2. Quality paper can spice up the presentation of a portfolio, or prepare copy paper for storage with hole punchers.

3. Tabs, sheet protectors and pocket folders subdivide, protect, and further organize ring binder material.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Distribute or store documents with a set of basic binders

If you haven't purchased any 3 ring binders for your business and want a cheap and simple solution, you have two options. Economy 3 ring binders have simple O-rings and are available for purchase in bulk. The D ring binder is a slightly more expensive option, designed for easier flipping between pages.

I recommend: Buy economy O-ring plastic binders wholesale from Office Discount Club and D-ring binders from Shoplet.com.

Print documents for your three ring binders on high quality paper

Beyond generic copy paper are several unique possibilities for your business' portfolios. Reinforced paper provides added strength with its rip-proof spine, keeping pages from tearing out. Make professional prints of photos or graphics with photo paper pre-punched for three ring binders.

I recommend: My Supply Depot sells reinforced loose leaf binder paper. Purchase photo paper from ReStockIt.com.

Prepare documents for storing with heavy-duty hole punchers for the 3 and 2 ring binder

Remove clutters of paper around the office by hole-punching these papers and organizing them in binders. Conventional hole punchers only handle from five to 10 papers at once, but you can increase productivity by purchasing commercial hole punchers which prepare up to 72 papers in a single punch.

I recommend: Buy heavy-duty three- and two-hole punchers from American Binding and Instawares, respectively.

Print individualized tabs to make custom 3 ring binders

Tabs make subdividing and organizing information within ring binders all the easier. Save money on ring binder purchases by utilizing tabs, as they allow for storage of multiple subjects in the same unit. Also, use tabs to divide chapters and ease searching within your ring binders' contents.

I recommend: Design and buy customized tab prints from XpressTabs.com. SimPro does custom binders' tabs creation and also sells blank tabs.

Organize documents in a ring binder without punching holes by using pocket folders

Preserve artwork, graphics, or any other files which you cannot hole punch by placing them in sheet protectors or pocket folders designed for ring binders. Sheet protectors are clear plastic covers perfect for presenting a graphic without damaging it. Pocket folders protect regular documents from damage without the need to punch holes.

I recommend: Find inexpensive sheet protectors at C-Line Products. Sustainable Group sells recycled two-pocket folders designed for ring binders, with custom pockets for CDs and business cards.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  For professional presentations, personalize as much of your portfolio with customized supplies for ring binders as possible. Print your company name and logo in as many places as possible to encourage brand familiarity with clients.

Ring binders come in handy for a number of business uses, such as collating media kits or storing back-up copies of company transactions. And presentation binders are a must-have for many client proposals. Think traditional three ring binders are your only option? Wrong! A host of other ring binder designs are now available, as well as custom binders. When selecting ring binders, consider the statement you are trying to make. Covering your ring binders in leather or your company logo, for example, can instantly transform them from a simple storage item into an eye-catching promotional tool.

Before you purchase ring binders:

1. Determine the best ring binder size for your business materials.
2. For promotional pieces, consider presentation binders and custom binders with a unique cover design.
3. Choose among loose leaf binders, two ring binders and three ring binders.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get basic ring binders

Loose leaf binders, two ring binders or three ring binders - all of these styles can be used to store paperwork related to your business.

I recommend: Folders.com sells a variety of three ring binders, including paper ring binders and plastic ring binders in different colors, like frosted clear and grape. Binders.com offers a vast array of ring binders. If cost-cutting is key for you, check out these paper-based three ring binders from Company Folders, Inc., or the specials on all styles of ring binders at Discount Office Supplies.

Try custom binders and presentation binders

If you'll be giving ring binders to potential clients as part of a promotion or as a proposal, invest in custom binders and presentation binders. Custom binders can feature your company name, logo or an image to make an impact. And custom presentation binders with specialty covers, such as leather, can add to your company image.

I recommend: For a highly customized look, send an image to Trendex and the company will impose it on the cover of a vinyl three ring binder. Unified Binders specializes in custom binders and offers a variety of decorating options. If it’s a leather cover you want, you can quickly obtain a price quote from Academy Looseleaf by filling out this online request form.

Consider the 'rings' in ring binders

The actual rings in ring binders also come in a variety of styles, each with its own pros and cons. For example, ring binders with straight or slant D rings will hold more paper than binders with the more familiar circular rings because the paper within is forced to lie flatter.

I recommend: Check out the various ring metal options that can be included in three ring binders at VIP Presentation Products or Vulcan Information Packaging, which also offers charts to help you determine how big your ring binders should be.

Choose 'green' ring binders

Recycled ring binders may not be as snazzy as other commercial versions, but they are just as durable and can cost less than other styles.

I recommend: SustainableGroup offers three ring binders made of recycled, corrugated cardboard in three different sizes, along with a variety of other recycled office supplies, including notebooks and folders. Green Earth Office Supply offers more ring binder options, like recycled vinyl binders and recycled circuit board binders.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Custom binders and presentation binders can make a lasting brand impression on clients.
• •  Three ring binders with D rings can accommodate more paperwork.
• •  A variety of vendors sell ring binders, so don't limit yourself to a store that sells office supplies.
• •  Use index sets and index tabs to keep the information in your three ring binders organized.
• •  To preserve important documents stored in a ring binder, use sheet protectors.

Conventional 3 ring binders have always made work around the office more efficient. With the proper materials, however, the scope of this mundane office item's use stretches far beyond a simple organizational tool. Protect your documents in style and impress your clients with ring binder portfolios of quality design.

With all the selections available, making the most of ring binders is easy and fun. The possibilities are virtually endless, but popular mediums include leather and metal binders. Cloth and wood binders are unique options for businesses looking to go with something unique.

1. Leather and aluminum binders provide durability and style.

2. Cloth and wood binders are an interesting alternative for businesses thinking outside the box.

3. Some binder companies create custom templates and designs for a nominal fee.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Store important documents in executive style with leather binders

For a binder with class, style, and executive durability, consider spending a little more on leather 3 ring binders. Unlike most binders, leather binders become more attractive as they age - aged leather becomes softer and more pleasant to the eye and touch. Whereas heavily used plastic binders last little more than a year or two, a well-cared-for leather loose leaf binder can easily last decades.

I recommend: Search selections of leather binders and padfolios at McKinley American Leathercrafters and LeatherTree.

Store documents needing outdoor durability in metal three ring binders

A metal binder consists of an aluminum material which provides the necessary strength and weight to survive outdoor conditions. Construction companies and other businesses that need to have documents available on-site may find the durability of a metal binder useful.

I recommend: Purchase metal 3 ring binders from EBSCO Industries or Portfolios-and-Art-Cases.com.

Create a unique presentation for your three ring binders with cloth or wood

Cover your documents with a professional, unique look by using cloth or wood 3 ring binders. Bound with a textured cloth over a heavy binder board, a cloth 3 ring binder is a classy alternative for presentation. Some have a nickel-plated cardholder on the spine which allows for display of a logo. With their natural colors and tones, wood binders are distinctive and naturally beautiful - perfect for a presentation with a warmer tone.

I recommend: Buy cloth or wood binders from the 3 ring binder manufacturers Binderfinder.com or Wood Box Supply.

Template your own designs on custom 3 ring binders

Some ring binder companies create custom binders with templates and cover artwork. Create a custom template for your business' binder that includes your company logo or another device so customers remember you every time they see your portfolio.

I recommend: Receive professional template design services from Academy Looseleaf or Avery Dennison.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Order custom 3 ring binders in bulk to reduce prices. Many companies offer discounts and deals on larger orders of custom binders.