Headbands, also called bookbinding tape or book edge tape, are processed webbing with decorative stitching along the edges.
Materials named: cotton headbands are flexible and easy to adhere; linen headbands offer higher strength but are less pliable and may need a second application; polyester headbands provide lower structural support and are generally not recommended for hardcover binding where durability is required.
They are applied to the head and tail edges of a trimmed book block to conceal folded signatures and reveal sewing threads. They finish the block and give the hardcover a neat edge.