Company Overview: Parvum Opus is an atelier-style artist’s studio in Birmingham, Michigan, that specializes in building bespoke desk furnishings and decorative objects by hand and to order.
Problem: Parvum Opus owner Erika Stefanutti needed packaging for a new line of stationery that was in keeping with her company’s unique aesthetic.
Story: Erika Stefanutti wanted to launch a new line of stationery on a short schedule. She planned to package it in two-piece boxes, but the lead time to create them was too long. She did a Google search for presentation folios in a custom size and found Company Folders, Inc.
“I made an initial inquiry via the website, which was so easy, given the website’s prompts and guidance – the method of creating your own folders by selecting a product most similar in parameters was genius – and was promptly provided with pricing and lead time details,” said Stefanutti, who noted that she selected Company Folders, Inc. because of their flexibility in creating custom products, as well as their high-quality materials and craftsmanship.
The project was originally inspired by a sample Stefanutti received from an Italian company. She wanted a custom folio that was a clean, updated version of artisanal Italian stationery. Her initial design idea was to emboss her logo on a felt stock.
“She wanted the logo to be very subtle, but I was concerned that she would be losing the details of her logo if she embossed,” said Print Project Director Jennifer Grubb. “We discussed changing the details of the logo and some other options that would make it more clear. I ultimately suggested ink so the artwork would maintain its detail. The key was to find the right combination of stock and imprint to get the feel she wanted.”
“It’s so perfectly made—folded by hand—and the design suits the product perfectly.”
Erika Stefanutti, owner, Parvum Opus
Grubb sent a number of stock samples, so Stefanutti was able to find exactly what she wanted. She eventually selected a 120lb. linen cover duplex in blue/white which gave her the right texture and a little more weight than the felt would have.
“Jennifer was wonderful in assisting with material selections, additional adjustments to the design, and I was able to have prototypes delivered with incredible speed,” said Stefanutti. “Jennifer also provided fantastic guidance with the printed design.”
After Stefanutti selected a sample, they started to work to create the structure of the folio. It needed to have two pockets to accommodate 10 heavy 5″ x 7″ notecards in one pocket and 10 heavy lined envelopes in the other.
“We sent three hand-constructed mock-ups so she could try them out and see if they worked with her notecards,” said Grubb. “It’s exciting to create something completely new – definitely one of the highlights of my job.”
Once Stefanutti signed off on the design, she placed her order for the custom-made 5-1/2″ x 7-1/2″ folder in 120lb. linen cover duplex blue/white, with two 2″ vertical box pockets, 3/8″ capacity, imprinted in PMS 540.
“The end result was perfection,” said Stefanutti. “It’s so perfectly made—folded by hand—and the design suits the product perfectly. I had initially considered two-piece imprinted boxes as packaging for these notecards, but the lead time was 3-4 months. I’m so glad it was, because these folios, although more costly, are more in keeping with the product, and our brand. They reference folios produced in Italy in decades past, but are clean, and modern, and perfectly tailored to the stationery they encase.”
Stefanutti posted the new product on the Parvum Opus Instagram and was thrilled with both the experience of creating it and the resulting sales.
“Every detail of my experience was perfect, and the emphasis on customer service is more and more rare these days,” said Stefanutti. “I feel like I have found a wonderful production partner going forward, and I’m hoping to grow this segment of my business in the coming years.”
Product: Custom-made 5-1/2″ x 7-1/2″ folder in 120lb. linen cover duplex blue/white, with two 2″ vertical box pockets, 3/8″ capacity, imprinted in PMS 540.
