One of the best parts of the work I do is falling in love with small businesses and their owners. First, perhaps, I'll fall in love with a thoughtful, well-made product or service. Then, I'll meet the owner and he/she will be awesome and wildly enthusiastic about what they do. Then, I'll find out some fascinating fact about the business's values and I'm hooked and want to shout my love from the rooftops.
Such was the case with Camden Print Works. I've known owner Adam Woods, with his charming Tennessee drawl, for a few years now as we both volunteer for Pig Iron Theatre Company and he supplies them with heaps of soft cotton goods for fundraisers, etc. But I called on Adam in a panic this week and enlisted his help with this invitation suite for the 80th birthday party of lovable Alvin Lucier. The invite was designed by Joe Czekner with creative input from daughter of the birthday boy, Amanda.
The problem came down to holy grail of printing: white ink. There is no easy way to do it. Adam had the brilliant idea to do it like any poster or t-shirt. And, barring the paper being engulfed in flames by the hot oven/conveyor belt/inferno ink sealing device, it would work. So I headed over to Camden, one of the poorest cities in the country, and handed over the goods. The Shellenberger brothers got right to work while Adam monitored the paper's temperature with a heat gun. Here's the final product. I adore them. But here's the killer part about Camden Print Works' mission:
We're excited about Camden's potential for rebirth and we want to be a part of it. So far we're trying by paying between double and triple the prevailing local wage, offering discounted health insurance to our staff, emphasizing sales on American-made and fairly-made goods, and staying on the cusp of our industry's efforts to "go green." And a portion of what you spend at Camden Printworks goes to support UrbanPromise Ministries in Camden, New Jersey.
The business is doing all it can to make Camden a better place. So please, use Camden for your printing needs. And if you'd like to work with Neither Snow, I am now elated to announce that I white ink will no longer be prohibitively expensive and impossible.
