Zine Culture Hats

The Library of Congress describes zines as generally self-published, self-created, self-distributed and non-commercial, and has held zine-making workshops at the National Book Festival annually since 2017. That is a satisfying backdrop for a collection whose editorial board is one person changing chairs. Pen Fight's glossary leaves room for handmade and software-based work alike, and defines a distro as an operation that sells or gives away other people's zines. The culture has space for more than one way to make a page. Portland Zine Symposium's official 2026 afterparty invited people to make zines and buttons, browse a zine library, and trade or donate their work. That invitation supplies the spirit here: FOLD COPY TRADE, a stapler with a manifesto, and photocopies chosen over permission. The imaginary editorial board and the print run smaller than its maker's ego take self-publishing pride to an unreasonable, affectionate conclusion. Choose a direct ZINESTER or ZINE MAKER badge, a makers-society flag, or the longer joke that sounds like the inside of your own publication. The photocopies declaration and the one-person editorial board each come in two colorways, for a zine-fair gift or your next table.