Often the fastest way to grow a maker’s business is by adding a new category — and if your game is stationery, giftwrap may be your best bet! Erin Sarpa of StationeryHQ.com tells me that their gift wrap sheets are their fastest growing product, as many of her clients have found it to be a “gamechanger” for their brands. “If someone loves your card designs, why wouldn’t they also love your exclusive wrapping paper designs?” she asked. “One of our customers placed a huge order for a fun, irreverent holiday wrap, and it sold out so fast she had to place an even bigger order a few days later. That’s the kind of story that motivates us to keep exploring and improving.”
Erin pointed out that profanity on paper is still a big trend, but you still can’t find it in big boxes. “That’s clearly an emerging market and we’re here for it,” she laughed.
Olga Krigman from Offensive+Delightful — who is famed industry-wide for her potty mouth — agrees, as you can see below. “The timing for adding wrapping paper to my collection could not have been better. Working on these patterns during a fucking pandemic is just what I needed to get energized, and once I started working on the designs, I was totally inspired.”
“And honestly, the ability to collaborate with StationeryHQ and only print sheets as I sell them made the decision a no brainer,” she finished. “They will drop ship my orders to my customers directly so I can grow my revenue without taking a ton of time to get orders out or having to buy and inventory a bunch of product. I’m excited to see which designs really speak to people.”
Another maker who has deftly integrated a new product into her ultra-chic brand story is Khristiana Howell.
“Offering wrapping paper has been a game changer for our business,” she said. “Not only has it allowed us to showcase our prints in a dimensional way, it’s been so delightful to see all the clever ways our customers are using the wrapping sheets, from wedding stationery to drawer liners to bespoke packaging.”
And not just stationery makers are finding success here; Rebecca Smith is a digital illustrator + designer, working in a variety of subjects, including food + beverage, weddings, and various consumer products. “I had been searching the interwebs day and night for a solution to small-batch gift wrap printing when SHQ showed up to save the day!” she detailed. “They print by day, and fight design crime by night. And besides stellar quality printing, the gift wrap is so strong it could double as a windsail, though I prefer to wrap packages with it. I will most definitely re-order!”
Watercolorist Jessica Flores of Jessica Flores Design is another happy client who tried out giftwrap for the winter holidays. “My customers were crazy about it, and I had to place a second order because the first sold out so quickly,” she described. “This was my first purchase with Stationery HQ, and I was impressed with the print and silky, heavy paper quality. I’ve already come back for Valentine postcards!”
The true fun of this product is that it can adapt to so many aesthetics, like colorful yet natural finds from Jen Gerena Design. “I am a self-diagnosed paper-goods hoarder,” she described. “I love that I design wrapping paper, cards and prints using my original illustrations that others love just as much as I do!”
Rounding out this rundown of wrap stars is ShavsPaper, “I have always been a visual and creative person, and my love language is gifts so it makes sense that I have always loved wrapping presents,” said the creator of the three very smart designs below. “After years of nannying and doing side hustles for pennies, I decided that I would turn my artwork and hobbies into wrapping paper, and the rest is history. My customers love that I make things that are pop culture related and of the moment. It’s fun to wrap your presents with a bit of personality! That’s what we are all about. Giving gifts should be fun!”
All these designs certainly elevate any gift exchange to make it most memorable! StationeryHQ’s wrap sheets come in 70lb. gloss or matte. Orders can be as low as five 20″x29″ sheets at a time, and turnaround is just two days. You can even go double-sided for true DIY depth. Start creating yours here!
