Cool Hunting: Terrapin Stationers

For nearly a century, Terrapin Stationers has produced some of the finest engraved and embossed stationary in the world. Having thought it survived the onslaught of our digital revolution, the New York-based brand took a hard hit in 2009 losing almost 75% of its revenue as a result of the global economic recession. During that time, Owner Ted Harrington decided to create a brash line of note cards, calling cards, envelopes, and more that were able to blend its traditional craftsmanship and modern irreverence. You may have seen their work, as it generally boasts some sort of a “fuck you” message on its exterior. Recently, the online publication Cool Hunting ventured to Terrapin’s midtown Manhattan offices to sit down with Ted and discuss the history of his family-owned business, how they create their time-honored stationary, and how they were able to bring attention back to a dying industry.