Famous Letterpress is a design and print studio situated in Nagaland, India. Their love for creating aesthetically pleasing handcrafted products dates back to 2008. Early in their journey, their founder Akanito discovered and fell in love with letterpress. He dedicated the next decade to perfecting the craft of letterpress printing, training our team, and developing a diverse range of products and services. Since then, Famous have grown their client base and have served national and international clients. Their unique process and approach rooted in design thinking make them the ideal partner for clients looking for intimacy and craftsmanship in their products.

What made you continue with letterpress when most people now go for digital printing?
We are a team of designers, print enthusiasts, and creative professionals dedicated to making unfailing and aesthetically sound products. In a world that’s becoming increasingly electronic, we feel many people long for something a little more personal. Our approach is focused on making the final product a one-of-a-kind experience that makes the end consumer feel special. Our printing process provides our engaging designs with the warmth they need to breathe life into any piece of paper.

How many fonts do you have?
Thanks to the advancement of technology and the development of photopolymer plates, we are no longer limited to ready-made fonts made from wood or metal. Any digital fonts can be accessed online and brought to life through the tactile impression of letterpress.

Tell us something about the process or procuring new fonts for your press.
Every design is born digital. A design is made on a computer where it has access to thousands of typefaces.
After the design is done, a polymer plate is made.
A photopolymer plate is a sheet of polymer with one side that is light sensitive. The digitally created design is transferred to a photo negative that is placed on top of the sheet of polymer. It is then exposed to light in a controlled exposing unit. The exposed areas harden and the rest stays soft and pliable. Then the plate is washed in water and rubbed with a soft brush. The brush rubs away the soft unexposed material leaving behind only the areas that were exposed. After a final baking period to fully harden the plate material, it is ready to withstand the intense pressure of a letterpress!

How far can one take letterpress as a tool for design and innovation?
We believe in achieving business and financial success through environmentally-conscious practices. Our vision is to deliver exceptional and lasting products through sustainable practices. Through programs and practices such as using eco-friendly friendly ink and high-quality recycled paper, we strive to minimize our carbon footprint and become a steward of sustainability for printing companies worldwide.
Letterpress is a handcrafting and manual process. It is an ageless form of art that practices eco-friendly ways of production. To this day, letterpress is constantly being re-innovated to produce quality products that utilize recycled and environment-friendly papers.

Tell us something about your printing press…
Our machines were sourced from across the world and refurbished at our studio in Dimapur, Nagaland. Our printing press is like the heart of our entire team. It is the place where everything comes alive. Each and every piece is handcrafted manually. It is also the place where everyone from the team comes together to hang out during the noon break and share lunch each one has brought from our own home

What’s the best piece of work you have ever produced at Famous Letterpress?
It’s a tough one but based on the votes taken among the team members, we have to pick a particular card we made for a client from Shillong. It is a piece with 4 vibrant colors letterpress onto a fluffy 450 gsm cotton paper. It’s special because the designs were not digitally created but rather watercolored and then recreated digitally to suit for letterpress.

Do you work with designers from all over India? Tell us an interesting job you did outside of Dimapur…
Yes! We love working with designers from all over India. Each of them has their own unique style of design and every time it’s a new discovery.
We don’t go out from our place for design-related work. But our founder Aki once went on holiday vacation in Bhutan. The landscape so inspired him that after he came back home, we made different stationery designs inspired by beautiful Bhutan.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
We derive inspiration from the work we do for our clients. When we help clients make their dreams come true, their happiness inspires us to work harder.

Who would your design team like to take out for dinner?
If it includes someone that has passed on, it has to be non-other than Audrey Hepburn. After all, it is her charm and elegance that we try our designs to identify with; elegant and timeless.

What’s on the company iPod? Spotify?
We’re a small team but each one of us has our own unique taste in music. Our playlist is filled with genres ranging from the latest Bollywood hits to 70’s classic western rock music, from past legends like MJ to modern mega-hit stars like Dua Lipa. Sometimes we just listen to stand-up comedies and laugh together when we’re tired after working the whole day.

Mac or PC?
We work with both.

Whats your Twitter Handle? Instagram?
We don’t use Twitter. You can follow us @famousletterpressindia