A binder clip is a device for holding items together neatly. Its primary use is to hold small to large quantities of paper. The binder clip is comprised of a piece of metal bent into the shape of a triangle, with one point open. Through the two ends of the open point, two wire arms are looped through to facilitate the opening and closing of the binder clip. The arms are usually placed in the down position, against the paper to provide more security, or one arm may remain up for a hanging option. Arms may also be removed for a more permanent binding solution.

This hardworking office product comes in a variety of sizes, ranging from a 3/8" capacity to a 1" capacity (.95 to 2.54 cm). The clips come in a wide selection of colors and finishes to suit your particular need. For your everyday binding needs, stainless steel and black oxide is the primary mainstay of binder clip design. For that important presentation, finishes in nickel, silver and gold are also available. Binder clips in primary colors are useful for color coding documents or binding your child's artwork.

Binder clips are also occasionally known as "banker's clips" and are related to the "bulldog clip," a less refined, but stronger version of clip. A veritable Renaissance office supply item, the binder clip is often used in a variety of pursuits. Cooks can use the clip to hold their Joy of Cooking open to a specific page, hands-free. Binder clips show up in directions to keep pieces of a quilt together, and scrap-bookers are beginning to see the artistic value of these otherwise utilitarian objects. Binder clips are also used to balance machinery.

Among the binder clip's advantages over the standard paper clip are a capacity to hold more sheets of paper together more securely and its resistance to rust. On the downside, it uses up more space than the paper clip, and is a potential hazard to carpal tunnel syndrome sufferers. Although the binder clip has nowhere near the popularity or pedigree of the widely used paper clip, said to be invented by the Byzantines and used as a symbol of the resistance in WWII, the binder clip has nonetheless served as an important weapon in man's battle to conquer the paperwork dilemma.