The British Book Design and Production Awards returned to London on 14 April, with this year’s entries underlining the continued importance of print, materials and finishing in high-value book production.

Hosted by the British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF) at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, the awards brought together designers, printers, publishers and binders to recognise achievement across 18 categories spanning trade, academic, children’s and specialist publishing.

The shortlist was selected by a panel of industry experts across creative, print, publishing and production disciplines, with judges noting the high standard of submissions across the board.

Opening the evening, BPIF CEO Charles Jarrold pointed to the strength of the sector, celebrating an industry that sold almost 200 million books, generating £1.8 billion.

Among the winners, Beowulf (The Morris Edition), produced by Books Illustrated and printed by Nomad Letterpress, was recognised for Excellence in Print Production before being named Book of the Year. The title stood out for its use of traditional processes and attention to detail in both print and binding.

The Self-Published Books category was presented by Digital Printer editor, Chris Brock, and went to Call of the Warrior, produced by Hail Mary Publishing. The book was printed, bound and finished by Empress London, was selected as the winner, reflecting the growing quality and ambition of independently produced titles.

Other winners included Bon Jovi: Forever (Genesis Publications) for Best Book Finishing and The Alchemist (Lettered Edition) (Lyra’s Books), which was named Best British Book.

Across the categories, the results reflected a broad mix of production approaches, from fine binding and letterpress to large-scale illustrated and children’s titles, with print quality, finishing and material choices central to many of the winning entries.

The awards were hosted by illustrator and graphic designer Anita Mangan, with sponsors including Canon, Diamond Print Services, Muller Martini, Northend, Sappi, The Printing Charity and Winter & Company, alongside media partners Oxford Brookes University and The Bookseller.