A Book Bindery with a touch of modern panache.
Experience the difference with book binders that are innovative and creative
What makes our book binders stand out as some of the best in our industry is a strong commitment to quality and "outside the box" ideas and solutions. Our book binders are led by the company's principal book binder and founder, Deborah Karchmer.
The Early Years
Deborah Karchmer was born in El Paso Texas. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, she married her husband Jeff. They have two children. Deborah was always doing crafts with her children, and she loved working with paper. As a young mother, she wanted to share photos of her children with family and friends... to "brag". The problem was finding a beautiful small photo album that would easily fit into a purse. Deborah had an idea...
The invention of "Bitty Brags"
Deborah created small photo albums which she called "Bitty Brags". They were cute, with interior sides that folded perfectly together and when opened, formed a "box" of photos. She created a special "die" so the paper could be folded to fit. Best of all, the "Bitty Brags" were great traveling companions in purses! She filed for a patent!
A new book binder mission statement
In 2007, Deborah's book bindery business grew and she incorporated and continued to sell the Bitty Brag albums. Deborah devoted herself to the art of bookbinding. As a bookbinder, she designed and created a custom line of handmade books and albums. The name of the company, Function to Fabulous became the mission statement.
Book binders Create Beautiful Custom Products
Deborah created handmade albums that were bold and beautiful. Many had matching tassels bound into the spine. Deborah believed that the albums needed to be extraordinary because they held the stories of your life.
The evolution to Bella Becho Book Bindery
Deborah's products were unlike other trade show offerings at market. Retailers were drawn to Deborah's showroom space to see beautiful, gorgeous works of art made by our book binders. These conversation pieces not only looked FABULOUS, they were textured and made with high-quality fabrics and leathers. A friend remarked that the quality of the books and albums were similar to the handcrafted Italian leather markets, hence the name Bella Becho was born to carry the company forward in its new direction.
Heading to New York... our book bindery on the move...
Our book bindery exhibited across the country, attending markets in Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, and New York. This pallet is being prepared for shipment to the National Stationary Show in New York at the Javits Center. At the show in New York, our bindery was nominated for "Best New Product". Our products have been sold to hundreds of retailers across the United States.
Book binder Trade Shows: Nutcracker and the Rodeo
Appearing in numerous trade and local shows, including the Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market and the Houston Live Stock Show and Rodeo. Our book binders work appeared in these shows for several years and gave Deborah the opportunity to serve the community.
Old Facility in the Heights
In June 2011, our book binders moved to a larger warehouse in the Houston Heights. Operations were expanded to a full-service book and print bindery and remained at the Arlington Houston Heights location until 2017.
Book bindery receives WBENC certification*
Houston, Texas -- July 31, 2012 -- Bella Becho received national recertification as a Women's Business Enterprise. (WBENC Cert. #2005116216)
Certified for the following:
NAICS codes
323114 - Quick Printing; 323115 - Digital Printing; 323116- Manifold Business Forms Printing; 323117 - Books Printing; 323119 - Other Commercial Printing; 323121 - Tradebinding and Related Work; 323122 - Prepress Services; 322233 - Stationary, Tablet and Related Product Manufacturing; 339999 - All other Miscellaneous Manufacturing; 453220 - Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores
UNSPSC codes
45101502 - Offset Printing Presses; 45101507 - Printing Presses; 82121500 - Printing; 82121503 - Digital Printing; 82121504 - Letterpress or Screen Printing; 82121506 - Publication Printing; 82121507 - Stationary or business form printing.
WBENC's national standard of certification is a meticulous process including an in-depth review of the business and site inspection. The certification process is designed to confirm the business is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by a woman or women.
*NOTE: We renewed our WBENC certification annually for several years. Bella Becho remains an owned and operated woman-owned business. However, we recently elected not to complete the annual re-certification process and is therefore not presently WBENC certified.
Original Book Bindery Showroom in Heights
Book binders Dream: Designing Custom Albums for a Major Retailer
Deborah designed a special product line for Neiman Marcus that manufactured at the old Heights facility. This was an expansion into the private label product market. The line was an exclusive collection of custom photo albums carried by 40 Neiman Marcus stores nationwide.
Book binder Morning TV Show Appearance
Deborah appeared on TV Fox 26 for a segment called "Holiday Photos by the Book". We give attention to detail in all of our products and services, and it shows.
Our book binders create unique business products
We our book binders create unique and custom products that make business stand out from the crowd, including custom retirement and commemorative books, presentations boxes and folders, environmental graphics and hardcover binding. These solutions can be found on our business solutions page that outlines what we can do to promote your corporate brand and outlines our print and binding services.
As an example, we were asked by the NBA to create special corporate gifts for the NBA All-Star Game. We responded with high styled NBA-branded leather notebooks embossed with the NBA logo.
These high styled leather notebooks demonstrate our capabilities to custom emboss any corporate logos onto leather for unique and special corporate gifts and projects.
Bookbindery offers full service print, binding and graphic design services
Full service print and binding and graphic services. 4 color digital printing capable. Click to learn more about our print and binding services
New Facility and Showroom
With a growing business, in May 2017, we relocated 2421 Hurfus Drive in Houston Texas which provides us with a custom retail storefront showroom and larger facility. The office is conveniently located in the Lazy Brook/Timbergrove area.
Come see us!
We design, print and bind all types of hardcover books.
We repair children's books, cookbooks, yearbooks, literary and reference books, wedding and photo albums, commemorative books and more.
Bible repair to save an original cover (Bible restoration) or Bible rebinding to rebind with a new cover.