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In Conversation With...Paper Salad
Colourful
Coming of Age
Paper Salad’s stand at PG Live will be even more of a beacon than usual, as the publisher will be kicking off its 18th birthday celebrations, with cake, bubbles and of course its latest clutch of super colourful new greeting cards. PG visited the publisher’s co-founders Karen Wilson and Claire Williams in their new ‘grown up’ offices and studio in Romiley to talk about the company’s coming of age.
Its trademark neon ink greeting card designs, with their accompanying patterned envelopes stand out in any retailer display, from indies through to the grocers, but Paper Salad as a company stands out as a fabulous example of how tenacity when combined with talent and passion can win through. This year marks the 18th anniversary since Claire Williams and Karen Wilson, took the plunge and set up their greeting card company bringing their own hand-painted style onto the market. Having met at Stockport art college, after graduating they started working together initially selling and licensing their designs to other companies through an agent. It was a trip to New York’s Surtex surface design show, which was then colocated with the National Stationery Show, and a chance conversation with PG’s Jakki Brown and Warren Lomax on a bus, that reinforced their decision to stride out with their own publishing company. Fast forward 18 years and Paper Salad has an impressive collection of 15 Henries trophies, and another seven Louie awards 40 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
from the US, testament to the company’s design prowess, not to mention a Stockport Business Award in recognition of its growth. Its cards are now sold all over the world and the brand’s reach is further amplified by the strong ongoing licensing collaborations with Glick on giftwrappings and Emotional Rescue on five humorous and sentiment-based ranges to date.
Sitting in their delightful new studio and offices, which is something of a step up from operating from a corner of their warehouse below, which they did up until the expansion last October, Karen and Claire agree that Paper Salad is feeling a bit more “grown up”, but like all 18-year-olds there is still a lot on the wish list. The recent Coronation was a moment of reflection for them, especially as they met the now King just before they set up Paper Salad, when he visited the shared office complex where Karen and Claire worked together. “Looking at our rather cramped working area, he said to the person taking the tour: “Can’t you get these girls some more space?” Well, it has only taken us 20 years!” quipped Claire. Thinking back to the early days of Paper Salad, Karen explains that it was not an overnight success, far from it. Top: Paper Salad co-founders Karen Wilson (left) and Claire Williams with some of the 15 Henries trophies the publisher has been awarded. In addition, it has seven US Louie awards in the company’s trophy cache. Above left: The image which graces the cover of Paper Salad’s catalogue which acknowledges the company’s grown-up birthday. Left: All Paper Salad designs, including this one from its latest Fleurescent range, are hand-painted in the studio by Karen or Claire in a collaborative process. This design is also being translated into a giftwrappings as part of the licensed range from Glick.