A common feature of our brands is centering around an ethos, and the products they make end up reflecting that ethos in physical form. For Papier, this takes place in the form of stationery, which they see a fundamental aspect of effective (and enjoyable) planning. The form and function of Papier products are integral to each other, which is exactly what we like in a brand.
Designed in London and beautifying desks since 2015, Papier would definitely be considered a modern stationery brand, but they have the experience to know exactly what appeals to the left side of their customer’s brains, and how to design analog planners that surpasses todays’ convenience of digital planning.
Made from responsible materials such as FSC Certified paper and recycled leather Papier explains that their choice of material has contentiousness and impact imbedded through their process. For example, they choose to use virgin FSC certified paper instead of recycled, because this allows them to know that the original source of the paper was good. They choose recycled leather over fake leather to avoid use of harmful chemicals that harm workers, the environment, and ultimately animals, whereas recycled leather is upcycled and doesn’t cause more animal cruelty, and at the same time it saves materials from the landfill.
While it’s arguable whether FSC certified virgin paper has a bigger footprint than recycled, or if fake leather is a more ethical option than recycled leather, I think taking the steps to consider the impact of their sourcing, and explaining their reasoning behind their choices is incredibly transparent and allows the consumer to ultimate make the decision within that gray area. At the same time, it shows that these decisions don’t exist in a vaccuum. Maybe recycled paper was already in use and seems more sustainable on the surface, but it did need to be sourced from somewhere in the first place. Same with leather, and I don’t think everyone that discovers Papier will agree with their choices, and might instead prefer to only purchase recycled materials or only purchase fake leather because it aligns more with their ethos.
