About Folio

Folio is an employee-owned, independent publisher that has thrilled and delighted a band of dedicated readers since 1947. Today, from our workspace in the heart of London’s vibrant Shad Thames, we continue that tradition by crafting exquisite, illustrated editions for book lovers of all ages.

We publish books that have changed the world, books that entertain us, books that blow our minds … books that have stitched themselves into who we are. Which is why every Folio book is a labour of love, expertise and, frankly, obsession.

Our team of editors, designers and artisans will do whatever it takes to give each title everything it deserves, from outstanding intellectual firepower to extraordinary craftsmanship. Available exclusively from Folio through our website, for book lovers around the world, every book we make is a miniature work of art and we take pride in every single one.

Every Folio book goes on an incredible journey from the spark of an idea to final publication. As a publisher at the heart of a golden age of book design, we constantly push the boundaries of bookmaking and creative possibilities. Our individually designed and illustrated hardback editions are often years in the making, but we never let a schedule stand in the way of perfection – every book takes as long as it needs.

From scouring the globe for the perfect illustrator, to selecting the typeface, paper and binding materials, each book draws on the skills, experience and passion of our editors, art directors, designers and production controllers. Many editions include traditional bookmaking and printing techniques, and we work closely with artisan suppliers, including Ludlow Bookbinders in Shropshire, Smith Settle in Yorkshire and specialist letterpress printer Phil Abel in London. Other books are crafted using the cutting-edge technologies of printers such as L.E.G.O. in Italy.

This pursuit of excellence has led to successful relationships with esteemed literary estates and world-renowned authors. Working closely with the Dahl, Tolkien, Fleming and Christie estates – and authors including Stephen King, Haruki Murakami, Mary Beard, Malorie Blackman and George R. R. Martin – we have created the most beautiful, illustrated editions of the authors’ works, many of which have become Folio bestsellers.

Our editions have also won prestigious awards (see below), including the V&A Book Illustration Awards, the British Book Production and Design Awards and the Association of Illustrators World Illustration Awards. While it is a huge honour to receive such accolades, it is our readers’ responses to our books that most excites and motivates us. Designed for longevity, delight and to build the world’s best collectors’ libraries, Folio editions are, above all, crafted for the ultimate reading experience.

Fine-book collectors, gift buyers, genre fans ... our beautiful editions grace the shelves of book lovers all over the globe. However, the attention to detail doesn’t end when the books are published.

Our tireless in-house customer service team knows every book inside and out, and they are on first-name terms with many of our longest-standing readers too. When things go wrong – and we know that they occasionally do – Andrew and the team personally deal with the issue and, crucially, solve it quickly. But don’t just take our word for it; you will see customer service praise pop up all over our Trustpilot reviews.

Of course, excellent service is just part of the customer experience. We take security very seriously: everyone at Folio has regular GDPR training and certification; Folio has Cyber Essentials Certification; and we have stringent checks and security built into every stage of our transaction and delivery process.

A small, tight-knit team of book lovers, we’re proudly independent, punching above our weight in the publishing industry to create some of the most beautiful books in the world. Having recently become an employee-owned trust, we all now have a personal stake in Folio, so there is even more excitement for the future and no limit to our ambition.

Our confidence comes from our collective knowledge, skills and expertise. From new Folio people to those who have worked here for more than 30 years, we’ve got centuries of publishing experience between us. Our passion for our books is at the heart of all we do, and we love the challenges and satisfaction of ensuring that every Folio book is the ultimate edition.

Our books are designed to last a lifetime; to be read, re-read and passed down the generations … a sustainable treasury of important and illuminating literature. We have a duty to ensure that our editions are produced and delivered in the most sustainable way. We’ve made progress on our sustainability journey so far, and we are committed to continue reducing our environmental impact at every stage of the book production process.

Our small print runs allow us to be very selective with suppliers and materials, and we work closely with chosen partners who have excellent environmental credentials. All our books are made using FSC accredited paper, most of which comes from the Munkedahl mill in Sweden. This is one of the cleanest mills in the world, with a long-standing commitment to sustainability: from sourcing raw materials to reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions. And, when you order your books, they will be packaged in 100% recyclable paper and card, including paper tape on the boxes.

While we’ve come a long way, there’s still plenty more to do. Now that Folio is owned by its employees, we can make decisions as a collective and focus on what matters to us. Sustainability is at the heart of our vision to publish beautiful books that are planet friendly; books that support artisan industries, offer opportunities to illustrators and bring joy to our readers.

It is important to us that Folio supports our wider community. We work with a number of charities throughout the year, giving donations and time, individually and as a company. As well as our ongoing profit pledge we support seasonal appeals, which have included Black Friday initiatives that raise donations for BookTrust and supporting the Wrap Up London Christmas campaign.

Folio pledges to give 1% of our net profit each year to charitable causes chosen by a company-wide vote. Most recently we selected three: Trussell Trust (Pecan/Southwark Foodbank); British Red Cross Gaza Appeal and Alzheimer's Society. Each year we select three new charities to support.