Stationery Trends Magazine

2008 Spring Issue Editor’s Letter

Welcome to the World, Stationery Trends!By Sarah Schwartz, EditorLaunching a magazine is like giving birth. No matter how many assurances you receive, no matter how prepared you think you are, you're in for a wild ride. Both experiences are exhilarating, emotional and even painful. And that's fitting, because if you're not transformed as a result of a little suffering, you're not suitably awestruck by the adventure awaiting you. Quite simply, we'd like to bring you what the magazine's title promises — stationery trends, written for the card and gift shop retailer as well as the professionals that cater to them. Retail is all about telling stories, and we'd like to do the same, with the drama coming from this industry's amazing products as well as the companies and stores that put them in consumers' eager hands. Trends can be tricky — some endure, some don't. Early in the…  » Read more

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Shades of Green

By Sarah Schwartz, Editor These days, it's impossible to be unaware of what's become known as the green movement. From cleaning products to cars, consumers are re-examining both what they use and leave behind. It's easy to wonder, is this another feel-good, election-year trend or an enduring lifestyle? “There is no question in my mind that 'green' is more than a new buzz word or passing trend,” said Sue Rostvold, founder and owner of Verysupercool. “While it's on the tipping point of the mainstream right now, I feel people are slowly becoming aware of the wider implications of their actions. As long as we're still dependent on non-renewable energy sources, there's no reason a green lifestyle should not be enduring.” Indeed, the stationery industry embraced the elements of the green movement “long before it was on the tip of everyone's tongue,” opined Patti Stracher, National…  » Read more

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Style at Any Price

Customer satisfaction derives from a balance of selection and service By Sarah Schwartz, Editor When a customer enters your store seeking the perfect invitation for their upcoming event, not only do they have an idea of how they'd like the finished product to look, but they most likely have an idea of how much they want to spend. It's your job as the retailer to ascertain their taste and budget and present them with several options from which to choose. “Invitation design is creative problem solving,” explained Deborah Hefter, founding designer of Envelopments. “We are constantly puzzling together a client's tastes, desires, colors, quantities, timeframe and budget and delivering back to them a finished product that represents and intimately communicates their event. (Our most successful customers) are masters at this dance. They are quick studies of human behavior and can triage the many needs of…  » Read more

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The Pen-Ultimate Finish

Move over shoes and handbags, it's writing accessories that make an outfit By Abby Heugel, Special to Stationery Trends Perhaps you've never thought of a pen as a fashion accessory, but maybe it's time to change that thinking. While it's generally agreed that accessories add color, style and class to an outfit, helping create a certain look, they also may have practical functions. At a basic level, a pen is one of the most practical and utilitarian inventions ever created. As National Stationery Show Manager Patti Stracher explained, the stationery industry is a highly personalized industry. People communicate in a personal way — whether they're writing a thank you note, a letter or a card — and they need the instrument to provide the ink source. “A pen is a very personal accessory and can reflect on one's personality and taste,” agreed Shu-Jen of Taccia…  » Read more

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