Molded binder

A binder comprising:

• a first panel;
• a second panel;
• a hinge located between said first and second panels, said hinge having a first side and a second side;
• and
• a molding molded on or with at least a first portion of at least one of the first and second sides of said hinge,
• wherein said first panel has a first panel thickness, said second panel has a second panel thickness, said hinge has a hinge thickness, and said molding has a molding thickness, wherein the hinge thickness is less than at least one of the panel thicknesses, and a combination of the hinge and molding thicknesses is greater than or equal to at least one of the panel thicknesses.

A method of making a binder including a first panel and a second panel, the method comprising:

• placing a preformed or fluid material in a mold so as to form the first panel and the second panel, an area between the panels defining a joint;
• adding a molding material into the mold;
• and
• forming a molding on at least a portion of at least one of the first panel, the second panel, and the joint, the molding formed of a thermoplastic elastomer and the first and second panels formed of a material that is substantially harder than the material of the molding.

A binder comprising:

• a first panel including a first panel material;
• a second panel formed discretely from said first panel, said second panel including a second panel material;
• and
• a molding connecting a first hinge edge of said first panel to a second hinge edge of said second panel, said molding having a first portion which covers the first hinge edge, a second portion which covers the second hinge edge, and a joining portion which extends between the first hinge edge and the second hinge edge, said molding including a molding material, the molding material being different from both the first and second panel materials, and wherein the molding material is a thermoplastic elastomer.