Zinester’s Toolkit is a column that spotlights the tools and processes behind the craft of zines, DIY and self-publishing.
ZINESTERS and bookmakers, meet your new best friend: the PS Portable. This DIY mobile printing studio fits snugly into a 23 kg (50 lbs) suitcase, and is fully equipped with a custom printer, binder, and cutter.
The portable printshop is a collaboration between the Rotterdam and Pearl River Delta chapters of PS, which stands for Publication Studio.
PS is a network of publishing collectives across the world who print and bind books one at a time, and offer a social gathering place for those interested in self-publishing and publishing in general.
Inspired by the ever-changing means of production, as well as the evolution of publishing practices like print-on-demand, PS Portable begs us to reconsider printed matter in relation to how it is propagated. With its ability to pop up anywhere, travel effortlessly, and be materially adaptable to any region, this suitcase might just change the meaning of “small press” publishing.
