IN THE WORKS 07/25
A monthly update from inside PREST WORKS.
Hello,
Between Glastonbury and Canada (where I am now, and have been for the past week), time's been in short supply this month. I’ve made sure to cram what little time I did have with pushing PREST forward though. That September launch date’s looming ever closer, and looking tougher by the day, but I’m still pushing for it.
So, here’s what’s been happening at PREST in July.
TLDR: Batch #01. Custom labels. Packaging trials. New kit. A rhubarb wedding gift.📘 Making Batch #01
Progress. I’ve finally started on the first proper batch of PREST exercise books. A larger batch than originally planned (about 80 I reckon), but I want to make the most of the paper. This first run will be made using a discontinued colour of GF Smith Colorplan. You might have seen it in last month’s newsletter, or over on Instagram where I won’t shut up about it. It’s beautiful stuff. I’ve paired it with black thread and black end papers. And I think I’ve finally found a manufacturer for custom labels! I really thought that would be the thing that delayed everything. More on that below.
🏷️ Custom labels
I’ve been trying to get custom labels printed for what feels like forever. Obviously I could have just gone to Moo or VistaPrint or similar to get some generic stickers made, but I got samples from a few places and the quality just wasn’t there. I got in touch with a couple of boutique printers, chosen specifically because they can turn any paper into label paper. I want the label paper to match the pages of the books (no detail’s too small). One of those printers ghosted me. Another could only produce the labels using 170gsm paper, which is far too thick. I even tried making them myself, which worked pretty well to be fair but it just wasn’t scalable. I thought all hope was lost… until I found Jot Press over in Liverpool. I’ve since sent them my paper and they’ll be hot foiling the labels in black very soon. They’re more local to Manchester anyway, and seem like really lovely people too. Win win.
The details are not the details. They make the design.
— Charles Eames
📦 Packaging design
I’ve been testing cardboard boxes and puzzling through the cost of extra bits like stickers, envelopes and tissue wrapping. It’s a rabbit hole. I’m trying not to overdo it really cause I know the packaging will be thrown away anyway. It just needs to protect the goods while also feeling thoughtful to open. I did find a blue box that I hoped would work but I think it might be just a touch too small. I’m still getting more samples delivered for plain brown ones though… Fingers crossed I can find one that works.
⚙️ New equipment
Alongside the new press I picked up recently, I’ve also added a Munbyn thermal printer to the mix (not pictured). Mainly to speed up the shipping side of things, and it should save money in the long run too for things like stickers. Shout out to Tara Collette for the suggestion. I’ve also bought some new needles and a few spools of thread for a custom order I’ve got coming up in September. It’s all starting to feel very real.
🎨 A one-off wedding gift
I had a few days off work straight after Glastonbury, mostly to recover, but also to make a custom box as a wedding gift for my friend Emma (who I’m now in Canada celebrating with). It holds a rhubarb perfume from Ffern and doubles as a keepsake/memory box. A little object, made to hold other little objects. Nothing overly complex, but I’m trying to improve my box making skills. More coming on this in September.
