LETTERPRESS

Remember learning about the Gutenberg Press in high school? Our friend Gutenberg invented the first ever printing press all the way back in 1440. Movable blocks of letters were arranged inside a caddy, which was secured in place using a frame we call a ‘chase’. Craftsman would then apply only light pressure to transfer ink to the paper, leaving no impression, unlike the modern letterpress of today. 

Gutenberg truly changed the way we communicate, and letterpress printing enabled bibles, books and newspapers to reach the masses. 

When the faster offset printing took over centuries later, letterpress printing was left by the wayside, only to be revived in recent times as an artisanal printing method, favoured for wedding invitations and to provide some serious business card flex.

Today we see century old machines revived with a new appreciation for nostalgia and timelessness, but with a modern twist.
Ink is now pushed deep into (thicker the better) paper fibres, resulting in an impression that you can both see and feel. 

Brushing off the dust and emerging from long forgotten back rooms, vintage letterpress machinery combined with modern polymer printing plates are now producing all kinds of beautiful paper ephemera to be adored by new generations of stationery geeks. 

Once you run your fingers over a beautifully pressed piece you’ll see why we adore this antique craft – letterpress is simply a tactile love.