Greeting cards are a combination of illustrations and messages that express different human emotions such as joy, thanks, sympathy, humor, love, and admiration. Even with almost everything being available online, receiving cards gives a different element of surprise and happiness. Add in a personal note and it becomes more sincere.
Folio, keeps this magic alive by providing cards for all sorts of occasions. Some cards are even elegantly designed with gold foil! They also create gift wraps, notebooks, prints, and pins that are inspired by everyday moments.
The founder and artist, Ian shares with us how he started this fun-filled brand and their commitment to sustainability:
"Hey, I’m Ian, and I’m the founder of Folio. We are based out of the lovely Cardiff, South Wales, and are known for creating playful, fun greetings cards and paper products (and some kick-ass pins) that always bring a smile to your face."
"I’m a self-taught digital illustrator and started Folio 4 years ago with the simple goal to be able to draw every single day and have it be how I make my living. We are now proudly stocked across the world with the most amazing band of indie businesses."
"I try to take everyday moments and use them to create cards that are relatable, loveable, and just really human. Simple things like a mother and son walking through the park in matching raincoats or memories from childhood can prompt a new idea that I then spin into an illustration, always with a sense of fun and heart. I love pushing my own skills whenever I’m working on new designs, trying to better capture the little details that make an idea come to life. I think it’s important to make sure the business is always striving for better."
"We started out with just 60 cards in our range at our first tradeshow in 2018; it was an intimidating space to be in. There’s so much talent in the card world and so many big names to mingle with. We now have around 100 designs (with more on the way!) and have learned some amazing lessons about staying true to our brand. My advice to anyone would be not to waver if a big player approaches you; if it doesn’t sit right in your gut, don’t compromise your vision.
For Folio, the vision is simply to always keep drawing, to keep championing amazing independent businesses, to keep putting smiles on people’s faces, to continue to create products that people love and treasure and that inspire moments of connection."
"Being a sustainable business is an ongoing focus for us. Nothing makes us happier than being able to package up plastic-free orders knowing we are always working to reduce our waste. We’ve made a big effort to ensure that all our envelopes are recycled, our papers are FSC certified and all our website orders go out without a single bit of plastic in sight. Working with someone like noissue has been great for not just making sure that our parcels continue to carry that fun Folio energy inside and out, but that we can do it without compromising on our need to do more for the planet."
"We love using our branded tape and iconic stamp now on all our parcels. There’s something so satisfying about seeing all those branded elements come together to create a really smart, cohesive statement. Our customers know what we are about from the moment their delivery arrives, and our message is championed from door to door."
Find more of Folio here:
Website: www.thisisfolio.com
Instagram: @thisisfolio