We are delighted to be featured in Stationery Matters Magazine talking all about artisan bookbinding skills and why we love what we do!
We sat down with journalist Michelle Urquhart to take a trip down memory lane and discuss our family roots, and how we have had to adapt to get us where we are today!
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"In a world of technology, speed and mass production, sometimes pleasure can be found in traditional simplicity and unwavering attention to detail.
Meet Hugo Spiegl, a second generation printer and bookbinder, who is keeping alive the traditional artisan skills of bookbinding from his bindery – The Stamford Notebook Company – in Stamford, Lincolnshire."
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Established in the 1950s by Hugo’s father Peter, Spiegl Press Ltd (the parent company of The Stamford Notebook Company) has its roots firmly embedded in the commercial printing and bookbinding industry. Back then, ledgers, pads, letterhead and business cards were printed and bound for professional trades such as solicitors, surveyors, sales rooms, estate agents and more.
With a passion for artisan printing and bookbinding, Hugo joined Spiegl Press in 1990 when commercial Printing used to be main sustenance for the company; 'We supplied lot numbers as well as the associated stationery to agricultural salesrooms around the UK. However, in 2001, the foot and mouth outbreak hit, and a large part of the business shut down almost instantly. At this point, it made us re-evaluate to see how we could diversify the business.'
In 2008, the business took another hit when the financial crisis struck, “we thought, ‘what can we do now?’, but Hugo quickly realised the answer was already there. We had all of the traditional skills for printing and bookbinding, we had the equipment. That’s where the idea to make beautifully hand bound, hand crafted notebooks was born. A batch of colourful cloth-covered notebooks were produced for the Top Drawer exhibition at Earls Court in 2009, and the stand was so colourful, the market loved it, so much ”We’ve never looked back”.
Today, Hugo Is joined by fellow director, Aimee Fionda. Aimee brings a wealth of experience in product development and brand management. Together they both have a vision for the brand to be the ‘Home of British Made Stationery’.
Aimee says: “The company’s aims have always been to bind the best notebooks and journals for writing and drawing, using the best handwriting paper, leathers and bookbinding cloths available, using British made, sustainable materials wherever possible.”
Our paper is made to our own spec from James Cropper in Cumbria, and has been chosen for its excellent quality when using a fountain pen with little dragging and ink bleeding. It’s is a smooth, reasonably opaque sheet allowing very little show-through. It will take a wide variety of ink pens as well as pencil.
The company’s emphasis on being a British made product isn’t just about where its books are created. “We are conscious of where our products come from and we strive to buy British made materials where possible,” says Aimee. “We have also minimised using plastic and created paper based packaging solutions, including paper tape. Even our gift wrapping paper and ribbon are made using recycled materials.”
In our bindery, we are keeping alive traditional artisan skills. It’s like stepping back in time, with skilled craftsmen using centuries old techniques to carry out all aspects of production.
When Covid struck in 2020, we were fortunate enough to be able to continue without too much disruption to supply chains, “we were already sourcing most of the materials from within the UK”. While our B2B and retail business fell away, we saw a big uptake in business from our B2C online business. Post-Covid, business has continued to grow for The Stamford Notebook Company with online sales booming, particularly around personalised products. Around 90% of our online orders are now personalised!
Our product range has continued to expand, so as well as as notebooks, we sell diaries, refillable journals, visitor books, condolence books, dinner party books, wine cellar books, recipe journals, tasting note journals, sailing log books, game books, sketch books, wedding planners and much more.
“We’re in a very unique position in that we have complete control over everything,” says Hugo. “If one of the team has an idea, we can go out into the bindery and within in a few hours, make up a sample. Not many businesses can do that!”
As well as supplying to retailers, the company also make bespoke products for corporate customers tailoring products to include logos, bespoke end papers, a belly band and presentation box. We can offer bespoke pages to deliver formats and layouts to suit and requirement, our in house production means we can offer very short runs and even one -offs.
The Stamford Notebook Company has made bespoke products for all sorts of clients, even the President of the United States! “We were honoured to be asked to supply the G7 Summit in Cornwall in 2021 with hand bound leather notebooks,” says Hugo. “After sign-off from No.10 we created two bespoke hand bound notebooks, which were carefully hand dyed using British leather from Northamptonshire in G7 colours and finished with G7 logo embossing.”
The Stamford Notebook Company is a perfect example of how a business has adapted to change from not only consumer preferences, but also the market conditions. Being set up to do everything in-house has meant the company can react to change quickly.
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