A semi-custom letterpress printed invitation suite flat lay showing a chartreuse detail card and a larger cotton invitation card, both with darker chartreuse text and matching tonal floral illustrations.

Paper so good you can feel it.

Learn more about the oh-so analog print process

What is
letterpress?

Letterpress is a centuries-old printmaking process that historically involves composing movable type pieces (individually cut lead or wooden letters) in a process called typesetting and locking those pieces into the press. As the press turns, the form is inked with rollers that glide over the surface, and as the platen meets the form, an impression is made.

There are many types of presses used in letterpress printing. Betty (our number one girl) is a platen press. Flat bed presses, like the Vandercook, are also a common style of press used for this process. No matter the press, one thing remains the same: each piece of paper that is printed is hand fed, one by one. A true labor or love.

We are able to utilize new methods of plate-making to create completely custom designs outside of the realms of just typesetting. With these innovations, we breathe new life into this antique printing process, pairing our thoughtful and experimental design sensibilities with tried and true methods to create a stationery experience that combines style and substance.

Recent work

Detail shot of a semi-custom letterpress invitation, featuring chartreuse text and a tonal floral illustration. The design features the names of the couple, Marianne and Connell, and includes smaller text with the event details.

A wedding menu set on a cream tablecloth with atmospheric shadows from a nearby floral arrangement and glass of water. The menu is left aligned and features green all caps item names and descriptions.

A flat lay of handmade paper letterpress invitations, featuring an invitation with an illustration of a church, a detail card with smaller text, and a kraft paper envelope with black address information, against a teal green background with ring box.

A cotton letterpress printed card and kraft envelop stacked behind it. The text, centered at the top of the card, reads "From the desk of Paul Sheldon" in black ink.

Work with us

Our bread and butter service. We started offering letterpress printing services in 2021. Since then, it has continued to be the process most of our customers seek us out for. We are able to utilize new methods of plate-making to create completely custom designs outside of the realms of just typesetting. This process creates an oh-so-satisfying deboss effect on the paper, leaving you with a tactile experience unlike anything else. In an age of design where so much of what we interact with lives on a screen, letterpress printing creates a memorable and luxurious experience for every recipient.
Embossing creates a raised effect, rather than debossing, which creates an impression in the paper. Using two plates and great amounts of pressure from our platen press, the paper is sandwiched between a raised back and counter-die front to create the emboss text or design. Because this is done with dies, there is no ink involved. The raised paper catches light and shadow in a delightfully delicate and impactful way.
Foil printing is done using a hot foil press (ours came from the UK!). Similar to the result of letterpress printing, an impression (deboss) is made in the paper, but instead of a flat ink print, we get a glistening and reflective foil. We can order metallic foil in many shades, including holographic, but we love using our classic yellow gold.
Due to the transparent nature of letterpress inks, we are limited to printing dark ink on lighter paper. To print lighter color inks against darker or vibrant paper colors, we can use pigmented foil printing. A matte white pigment foil is our go to for a classic white on dark look.
We offer custom die-cutting both with any of our existing dies in our library, or with a custom new shape. Die cutting is done by using a steel rule die manufactured to the exact custom shape that is designed. Paper is then fed, one by one, through our press with the die locked up to punch out the shape. What’s left is a completely custom shape unique to your project.
Duplexing refers to the process of gluing two pieces of paper together. This can be helpful when printing double sided designs, combining digital and letterpress processes, or simply for making a paper stock thicker, allowing for a deeper impression.
We get it, not everyone loves the tedious tasks of assembling and mailing invitations. Lucky for you, WE DO! We’ll assemble your suite to the same execution and standards of a sample we mail to you for approval. If you’d like us to mail your invitations as well, we’ll confirm with our local postal office to verify correct postage costs, apply postage, and drop them off for you.