What is Letterpress Printing?

You pick up a piece of paper and immediately notice something different. The paper is cotton soft, thick and almost fluffy. The printed type and images are pressed into the paper with the finest of detail and so you run your fingers over them to feel the peaks and valleys. This is the tangible beauty of letterpress printing.

Letterpress stands out from everything else you see today. Ironically, it is the original form of printing dating back to the 15th century and is now an art form itself. It has come to be considered the most stylish, sophisticated and elegant printing available today. Sheets of paper and envelopes are hand-fed, one at a time by skilled craftsmen who give attention to the finest of details as they work on antique cast iron presses.
 


It's not for the faint of heart. The presses are old, finicky and true tools of the trade. Type and artwork are aligned and placed on a press, covered with ink and pressed firmly into the paper by the pressure of the metal. Add a second or a third color to the design, and everything has to be cleaned, set up, aligned and printed again. The result is unlike anything modern technology can produce today. For these reasons and so many more, we love the process and result of letterpress printing. One look and we think you will too.