1. What do you think sets Printfresh apart from its competitors that explains your continuous growth?
Our Printfresh stationery line is a reflection of our love of textiles. Printfresh actually started as a textile design studio, now called Printfresh Studio. We had the very fun job over the last decade of designing prints for fashion brands like GAP, Abercrombie, Justice, American Eagle, Zara, Macy’s and many more. We love fabrics and patterns, so we decided there was a niche in the market that wasn’t being filled. We decided to take what we love and apply it to paper products. It’s been very well received, and it’s been gratifying to see our business evolve.
2. What is most challenging about leading a creative industry?
Decision overload! We develop a lot of ideas and versions in our creative process, and it can be difficult to sift through and critique, curate, and refine designs into cohesive collections. Choosing the ‘right’ assortment to reflect our aesthetic, identity, and mood can be challenging on a new line. In the fashion side of our business, we have more experience and it’s become 2nd nature. In this new product line, we are still learning what works for our customer, and so there are a lot of unknowns in the process. Luckily we have a great team in the studio, and everyone is always willing to test out new product and provide feedback which I think leads to the strength of the designs.
3. It is clear that you recognize the impact that businesses can have on their communities. What are some of your favorite success stories with community engagement?
We love supporting our local schools. For the last two years we’ve been supporting two schools in the Riverwards section of Philadelphia with their need for paper for the students. With the Philadelphia School District being chronically underfunded the principals are left to use their regular operating budget to purchase these supplies. By partnering with some other local businesses we have been able to supply paper for two local schools to ensure that the students have the materials they need to do their best while leaving budget for the principals’ to provide other much needed activities and items.
4. What is your advice to creative start-ups and entrepreneurs?
Put in the time, and pursue something that you are truly passionate about. Starting a new venture or business can be incredibly challenging, and it takes a lot of time to work on product, understand your industry, create a sales plan, execute your sales plan, create a feedback loop, and refine and revise your product. In the beginning most business have a lack of access to capital, and so you end up doing a lot of the jobs yourself. It takes a lot of late nights, and countless hours to get a business in a place where you can hire staff and generate income. Because starting can be so time intensive, it’s important to choose a product or concept that you are really connected to. One of my favorite quotes is “Let the beauty of what you love be what you do”- I think when you spend your time doing what you love, it empowers you get through all the work.
5. What is next for Printfresh?
We are introducing new product lines and working towards being a lifestyle brand. We began with notebooks, but are excited to be rolling out new ideas such as pouches, sleeping masks, and travel accessories in 2018. Our textiles are very inspired by my travels, and we wanted to create products that help you keep organized and look stylish while traveling. We will be premiering those designs at the National Stationery Show in New York in May 2018.
Check out their website! https://printfreshstudio.com/