Letterpress is a craft that requires skilled people to carry it on from one generation to another. It’s only when people are passionate about this skill – and also constantly looking for opportunities to evolve and develop it – that it will continue to expand. Given that it’s the people who matter in crafts like this, here are some of the most inspirational letterpress printers and crafters that you should know.
- Type Tom. Tom Boulton has more than a decade of experience and has worked with some pretty impressive brands, including Tate Modern, The Southbank and The V&A. His business is run with an ethical ethos that includes reducing waste and recycling and reusing wherever possible.
- The Garage Press. Established in London in 2018, the brains behind the business is Simon Trewin who has a history of working with internationally well-known artists, musicians and brands. Designing and printing onto paper and card is inspired by vintage aesthetics and fonts. There are options to buy cards, prints and bookmarks and The Garage Press also takes commissions.
- Letterpress de Paris. Specialising in hot foil stamping and letterpress printing, this is a small studio in the heart of Paris offering a way to bridge the gap between traditional art and modern printing. The team often works on custom pieces but has also produced its own range of notebooks and greetings cards.
- No Plan Press. This is a letterpress studio that was established by Jessie Kirsch. The prints you’ll get from No Plan Press are designed to be fun, colourful and thought provoking. Jessie has an innovative mind and is always looking for new ways to experiment with colour and bold typography.
- Thomas Mayo & Co. You’ll find Thomas Mayo & Co in the heart of the Cotswolds where this letterpress business is producing a whole range of distinctive designs. Expect letterpress and foil blocked prints, distinctive business cards made with traditional equipment combined with the use of very modern tech, such as laser-cut and CNC manufacturing.
- Fresh Lemon. If you’re looking for typographic posters that are unique and limited edition then these are the letterpress prints for you. Fresh Lemon is the brainchild of an award winning graphic designer who works in his letterpress studio after hours. Owner Phill Grambrill is particularly obsessed by the amazing imperfections that are created by wood type.
- MC Pressure. Letterpress and hot foil stamping services are the order of the day at MC Pressure. The company is focused on what it can do by continually acquiring new print presses and being able to expand collaborations with a broad spectrum of clients.
- One Strong Arm. You’ll find this letterpress print studio in Dublin where the team are creating modern typography-led work with some very traditional methods. Many of the projects that the team works on are self-initiated but there are also lots of collaborations.
Letterpress is a medium that remains much loved to this day. And there are lots of inspirational letterpress printers and crafters out there, such as this global group.