Bringing back tradition: The Hong Kong letterpress shop inspiring old-school quality prints
Nicole Chan puts quality before quantity in producing wedding invitation cards, postcards and other items for customers who don’t mind paying a little extra for something out of the ordinary
What makes Gutenberg-era printing methods still relevant today is because people still value the tactile quality of letterpress printing which lends substance to the message conveyed, says the founder of possibly the city’s only commercial letterpress printing house.
After returning to the US to spend several weeks learning how to operate a classic Heidelberg printing machine, Chan bought two smaller hand-operated machines and later an automatic Heidelberg and set up her printing business in a storage space behind the office of her family’s business.
With the help of her two sisters and an apprentice, Chan focuses on design while the others carry out the daily operations of the business.
“We spent quite a lot of effort finding the right price range,” she says.
“Many [potential local clients] were a bit surprised when they were told how much they were charged … because they were comparing [our products] to those made by [conventional] offset printing.
“Those who decided to make the order in the end told us they did so out of an appreciation for the craftsmanship.”
WATCH MORE: How traditional letterpress printing works
Despite the luxury of not having to pay rent, Chan says they are still hoping this year will be the first in which the business breaks even.
The overseas market will continue to be the focus of her business, she says, as she takes her time creating works of art with a practical purpose – while trying not to sacrifice quality for the sake of quantity.
