Hard binding is a process in which the spine of a book is reinforced with a hard material, such as cardboard, so that the book will lay flat when open. This type of binding is often used for books that will be read frequently or for those that need to withstand heavy use, such as textbooks. Soft binding, on the other hand, simply wraps the pages of a book in a soft cover, such as paper or cloth. This type of binding is often used for books that will not be read frequently or for those that do not need to withstand heavy use. Soft binding is also generally less expensive than hard binding.