Bold Onesies for Little Adventurers

One thing we love most about having both a stationery line and a retail store is the way our space invites interactions with other artists that may otherwise be missed. This is true of our latest line of wearables, a collection of onesies with bold, empowering statements for your bitty adventurer.

Olivia of Voyage Lettering reached out last year and we started collaborating with her immediately. We started with a fun, motivating 2017 wall calendar we call HER Calendar. From there we have created cards, wall prints and now onesies.

Like our other products, we wanted to have these onesies printed locally and happened to connect with Treetops Collective just at the right time. They are a new West Michigan organization passionate about connecting local designers and businesses to refugee women who are in need work — to create cross-cultural friendship, community development and meaningful jobs for this skilled, eager workforce. They were instrumental in connecting us with Love Works, a social enterprise started by retired teacher, Sally VanEck, who is dedicating her time to teaching screen-printing and other creative vocations to refugee women.

One such woman, Mang Pha, a 20 year old woman from Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, worked on our project with Sally. Because living in Burma was next to impossible due to dangerous conditions associated with oppression and corruption, Mang’s parents decided to immigrate to the USA. From the moment Mang arrived, she along with her siblings, have worked diligently to help their family forge a new life. It hasn’t been easy. This spring Mang will graduate from Potter’s House High School and hopes to attend college. She is a person who loves and appreciates her very close family as well as learning about her world. Mang has learned to sew and screen print. She is eager to learn so much more and collaborations like this make that possible.

Additionally, LoveWorks values being good stewards of this earth and sources their materials responsibly and uses water-based ink to keep our beautiful Great Lakes clean for generations to come.

We couldn’t be prouder of what this line represents, and are grateful to be a part of such purposeful collaborations. We hope you and your littlest global citizen enjoy and share in this important story with us!

The onesies as well as other products from Olivia’s collection are available in our retail store in downtown Grand Rapids, online and for wholesale inquiries, please email us at hello@625paper.com

Side Note for GR Peeps: Shop these onesies and other wearables from the Treetops Collective at the Eastown Street Fair this weekend, Saturday, September 10 9am-8pm.

Friday Finds: Easter Basket Lovelies

Sure, you could fill a basket with waxy chocolate, cheap toys and handfuls of plastic fluorescent grass and be done with it, I mean that’s what our generation found hiding on Easter morning OR you could shop sustainably by finding fun, thoughtful items at a local shop to wow your little bunny this Easter.

With the second option closer to our hearts, we’ve come up with a few ideas to get you excited about bringing a little spring surprise to your sweet ones.

For our Children’s Basket we’ve chosen items that promote learning, creativity and thoughtfulness. The pop-up art history book about Alexander Calder explores what inspired the artist to explore the colors and shapes he did. This is particularly intriguing to us since his work, La Grande Vitesse, was the first publicly commissioned sculpture in the US and happens to be the heart of our home city, Grand Rapids! There is also a whimsical bag by K Studio, a DIY Felt Animal Craft, A set of bookplates, an organic chapstick and the softest I LOVE Michigan Tee from Michigan Awesome. Since April is National Letter Writing Month we included a pack of 6.25 Paper blank stationery with cheery envelopes to encourage children to write more. Lastly, from local GR business, SO AWESOME — unique and beautifully illustrated non-toxic wallet cards that teach ABC’s, Numbers, Colors and Shapes, and Emotions.

I don’t know about you, but Easter baskets didn’t stop as I grew up since I had younger siblings, so here is a little inspiration for putting together a Teen Basket that is sure to excite! This gift is inspired by Rifle’s spring florals, showcased in the journal, stationery set, and pencils paired with a K Studio pencil case to protect these beauties from being lost! You can never have too many headbands and no-crease hair-ties as we enter warmer months, and the “Do Your Best” Keychain adds some inspiration to the everyday! Lastly, a little keepsake like funky, sleek metal and leather ring will ensure this Easter surprise is not soon forgotten!