BACKGROUND + HISTORY

Creatives and makers at heart, we’re Allison and Jamie Nadeau, the wife-and-wife owners of INK MEETS PAPER. We’re passionate about producing thoughtful, deliberate products that help to spread more love in the world. Jamie’s background is in product design, and Allison was an English major– you could say it was a match in skillset from the start.

And if you’re reading this, you’re wanting a but more about where we started and how we got into this whole journey. So, here we go!

2008 – LEARNING THE CRAFT
In Charleston, SC, we discovered a love for letterpress with a printmaking class at a local art studio. After spending so much time behind screens at corporate jobs, it was refreshing to be so hands-on and involved in the physical process of creating a printed piece. We fell in love with the craft and dreamed big about our future. After much searching, we found a letterpress shop in Jacksonville, FL that was closing— a 1,000-pound 8×12 Chandler and Price printing press made the journey back, and we set up our home studio. From here, we began learning the ins and outs of printing, as well as business (and what it meant to work with your spouse 😉

2010 – THE GREETING CARD COLLECTION
With the goal of spreading more love into the world, we launched the INK MEETS PAPER letterpress-printed greeting card line. Our old-school printing method and high-quality cotton paper really resonated with people, as they could both see and feel the difference in an INK MEETS PAPER card. In addition, our card sentiments and phrasings reflected authentic, real-life human interactions designed to get people writing. Though small, a handwritten card can make such an impact on someone, and we loved seeing people reconnect with putting pen to paper.

2013 – SIGNATURE ENVELOPE
We’d become known for our craftsmanship and attention to detail with our cards, but we knew there was still room to grow and improve the greeting card experience. We love the little details that make a big impact, and we saw opportunity to make a statement with the seemingly mundane: the humble envelope. After countless iterations, we introduced the INK MEETS PAPER® signature envelope, with its printed seams and hidden interior message, at our debut at the 2013 National Stationery Show in NYC.

2015 – STUDIO MOVE + PARK CIRCLE FLAGSHIP STORE
Our home studio was bursting at the seams (paper everywhere!), neighbors were definitely questioning all of those freight shipments, and we knew that work/life balance needed to happen. In our neighborhood of Park Circle, we transformed an empty building (that had been a 7-11 in a former life) into our production studio. Finally— more room to spread out! We added more cards, more presses (another Chandler & Price, as well as a Heidelberg Windmill), and also grew our team. We hosted events, held monthly calligraphy classes, and opened our flagship store. It was a whirlwind of fun, activity, and growth.

2017 – TRADEMARK OFFICIAL!
After filing the year before, we get notification from the US Patent and Trademark Office that we’re officially registered with “INK MEETS PAPER” and “Text less. Write more.” Celebrations all around as we put that registration mark on everything!


2021 – THE EVERYDAY PRIDE COLLECTION
As a queer-owned company, we understand the importance of visibility, and we wanted a Pride collection that would be available year round (Pride doesn’t end just because the month changes!). This collection was a long time in the works as we navigated the constraints of letterpress printing (that whole one color at a time thing is tricky!) with the highly identifiable Pride flag. But we did it! The Everyday Pride envelope is the perfect accompaniment to each card of the collection, as the sentiment is designed to inspire, uplift, and celebrate the recipient.

2022 – HELLO, GREENVILLE, SC!
After almost 20 years in the lowcountry, we found ourselves dreaming of a location change. Our love for Charleston (and our neighborhood of Park Circle) ran deep, but an end to our studio lease gave us an opportunity to explore and get out of our comfort zone. After years of visiting the mountains and foothills of upstate South Carolina, we decided to make Greenville, South Carolina our new home. We held one final calligraphy class, closed up the flagship store, packed up all the cards and presses, and moved in June 2022. And we couldn’t be happier in our new city! We’ve added a new team member, made new printmaking friends, participated in stationery and maker events, and joined the Upstate LGBT Chamber of Commerce… all while continuing the art of craft manufacturing.