Brand Overview: Dogwood Letterpress
Carrying more Canadian products has become a New Year’s Resolution for us at Phidon. Luckily, it’s easy to find stylish, quality cards from Canadian makers! We’ve been carrying Refinemark and Gotomago cards for a while, but we are happy to be carrying a new option: Dogwood Letterpress.
After bringing in Fieldwork Co. pen rolls, Dogwood Letterpress is the second new Canadian brand we’ve brought in this year. Dogwood Letterpress is based out of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and is run by husband and wife team, Lisa Currer and Sean Boag. When not printing, Lisa and Sean enjoy getting outside for a hike or bike ride, from where they get much of their inspiration for the flora and fauna of their card line.
Each greeting card is hand-fed into the press, and each card is printed one-by-one. Lisa and Sean use a combination of linocut, hand-set metal and wood type, and photopolymer plates to create their designs. All of the cards are printed on 100% cotton paper that is made with unused linters from the garment industry, resulting in a beautiful impression in the paper that you can see and feel.
The cards that we are carrying at Phidon all have blank interiors, so they can be completely personalized to the recipient and the occasion. All of the cards also include a matching envelope, ready to attach to a gift or to be sent in the mail. That will also make them fantastic for International Correspondence Writing Month, which is coming up in February!
Despite being a new line to Phidon, Dogwood Letterpress is not new to the printing industry. Lisa’s family has been involved in the Canadian printing industry for four generations, and the printing presses used at Dogwood Letterpress are vintage 1912 and 1929! So, despite the modern designs on the cards, you can know that you’re holding a piece of Canadian history when you pick up a Dogwood card.
We are now carrying Dogwood Letterpress in a variety of designs. One of our favourite motifs is the black-capped Chickadee that appears on the “Sending Love” and “Stole my Heart” cards. Birdwatchers all across southern and western Canada (as well as northern states in the U.S.) will recognize this funny little bird for its fluffy feathers and chirping call. Especially since the birds are particularly cute and visible in the snow this time of year, we think these will make incredible Valentine’s Day cards.
So what’s with the name? On top of just being a fun thing to say, Dogwood is the official flower of British Columbia. The name further connects the brand to the great outdoors — but it also shows pride in Canada that we love as well.
What’s your favourite Dogwood Letterpress design? Let us know in the comments!