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February 11, 2026 •
Winter 2026 NYC Market Report: My Analog Adventure

Greetings from the wondrous 2026 New York winter markets! Witnessing the Shoppe Object and NY NOW show floors, you’d never know Manhattan was experiencing an extreme cold snap outside. Feb. 1 found the temperature a brutal 10 to 19 degrees, seasoned by bone-chilling sub-zero “Arctic” winds.
Inside both markets, the climate told a whole different story. Anything analog or made by hand was in demand, which bodes well for the entire stationery industry. Here, the concept of slowing down to turn inward with traditional stationery — or conversely, reaching outwards with greeting cards — is (dare I say) finally really cool. Design wise, AI is disdained, and the human imagination, more revered than ever.
Take the Leuchtturm1917 booth at Shoppe Object. Its tagline of “grow your mind” is a version of the above idea, literally crystallized. Leuchtturm1917’s meticulously crafted wares comprise an exquisite surface from which self-discovery, invention and inspiration may spring — and this nearly life-size pen replica certainly gets the imagination flowing, no? Though it’s nearly as tall as me, it’s far lighter, being made of styrofoam!
This was but one glorious stop on my wondrous three-day stroll through Shoppe Object and NY NOW. There the Greeting Card Association’s *Noted section presented a paper assortment no buyer should pass up! There was more than a whiff of that much-missed National Stationery Show camaraderie in the air. What follows is an alphabetical selection of my highlights — no hat, scarf or press pass required!
Art Angels Publishing
Meet Art Angels Publishing. This is one of many of their ships-in-a-bottle offerings, dimensional advent calendars, and assorted paper wonders that are (in my opinion) unrivalable by any screen. Since you yourself are looking at them on a screen, just remember — in life, these babies are that much more dazzling!

Big Wheel Press
Bill Muller at Big Wheel Press is printing classic Peanuts comics — in letterpress, no less! On the back find the original print date — as well as the price of eggs, milk and a gallon of gasoline.

Bonne Maison
Artful socks like these from Bonne Maison continue to trend up — and exert a special appeal to design enthusiasts as they avoid sizing issues for retailers.

Brittany Paige
Take it from Brittany Paige’s enameled keychains: Sardines remain a bestseller, while caviar and oysters are joining the party.

Bromstad Printing Co.
Swedish dishcloths are an easy, eco-friendly way for paper brands to ease into the home category, as Bromstad Printing Co. demonstrates. The vividly colored backwards elevate Talia’s work and really differentiate themselves at retail.

Calliope Paperie
Calliope Paperie’s very first trade show booth was an epic love poem to Spotlight Award honoree Krista Burkey’s reinvention of the Trapper Keeper — as well as ‘80s films, check out those folder names!

Cambridge Imprints and Mel Andrel
Don’t be surprised to see tradition turned on its nose in regards to size. Cambridge Imprints’ Mantelpiece Menagerie Cards are clearly giant (and mailable!), while a delectable (yet wee) sticky note pad gets the royal bellyband treatment at Mel Andrel.


Chez Gagné
Clean color paired with signature gold-foil type and brilliant messaging unite for polished, professional levity at Chez Gagné.

Eat the Moon
This charming British brand is sweet on the surface, but somewhat mischievous otherwise — and engrossing (and animated) sticker sheets that pose important, eternal questions are just the beginning of all the fun!

Erin Dayhaw
Fresh from TikTok, this wordsmith wonder made her trade show debut in the NY NOW Incubator Program. This will not be the last you see of her!

Lynn-oleum
Stationery often feels like fine art, but it can also be mailable art exchanged between two friends. This incredible Golden Oak A7 feels as though it just stepped off museum walls, because it’s a scaled-down version of an original print by Lynn-oleum founder Lynn M. Jones.

Goods For the Study
The Manhattan institution introduced its own fantastic literary-tinged stationery array, inspiring any book or paper nerd to pen their own manifesto or great American novel.

Grey Street Paper
Somehow, difficult emotions are easier to handle — and are far more funny — when they come from the animals populating the Grey Street Paper booth.

Gry Mattr
Despite having a neutral in its very name, Gry Mattr (and the entire desk category) has received a glorious, sunny color transfusion.

Helena Simon
Brooches abounded in every conceivable form — but these floral beauties from Helena Simon are as special as the blooms they replicate forever.

Hitchcock Paper Co.
The idea of embracing unplanned chaos with a nod and a wink abounded on greeting cards, like this rather acrobatic take from Hitchcock Paper Co.

Immodest Cotton
While journalers love their pouches, any creative can appreciate an immaculately constructed, double-handled Immodest Cotton bag crafted with small-batch production, less waste and timeless materials.

k. Patricia Designs
Don’t be afraid to go regional — this k. Patricia Designs card speaks “smahtly” to both locals and visitors.

Kinokuniya Wholesale
A lot of American stationery nerds flock to Japanese stationery, and looking at these noteboxes from Kinokuniya Wholesale, it’s easy to see why. Their dynamic color, form and function speak louder than any language barrier.

Kwohtations
Sticker sheets themed to topics like books, everyday achievements and daily delights make the lofty task of documenting one’s life easier — and a lot more imaginative and fun! As you can see, Janine of Kwohtations doesn’t just make the product — she uses it, too.

La Casa
Those who know me know I love seeing the messaging of stationery leap onto other categories, in this case bracelets. But these La Casa beaded babies take an extra-clever approach by spreading out that copy into three-bracelet mini-manifestoes!

MackBecks
The sardine theme (as well as its brethren, caviar and oysters) is meant to be silly and fun, with a bit of unexpected practicality. Hair clips and earrings from MackBecks are dispensed in tins nearly as elevated as the accessories they dispense.

Maggie Beckett Studio
Birth flower birthday cards from Maggie Beckett Studio look amazing as a group, and really deliver impactful individual cards. Their graphic quality, vibrant color, and distinctive approach make every one a keeper!

Marigold Press
When money gets tight, “add-on” categories like sticker sheets really come into their own to make them splurgeworthy. Seek distinctive approaches like this from Marigold Press, and your customers won’t stop at just one!

Moglea
Riso has officially arrived in stationery, with a wide range of makers now fully immersed in the Japanese printing process. The results are almost predictably fantastic as you see here at Moglea, with the medium adding yet another jewel to this brand’s design crown.

Palindrome Art
Louie Award finalist Palindrome Art made its *Noted debut, strengthening any Judaica mix (or possibly presenting one for the first time!) with Hannah Perlman’s gorgeously lettered, effortlessly authentic offerings.

Paper Baristas
Spotlight Award honoree Christy Asper of Paper Baristas brought her Fair Trade, deckle-edged wares to Shoppe Object. Fresh takes on traditional wording make these babies stand out all the more!

Pavilion
There’s always a few booths that are consistently mobbed — and Pavilion was one of them. Their spellbinding paper plates stack in endless combos for endlessly interesting tablescapes.

People I’ve Loved
Nearly every card I looked at from Carissa Potter of People I’ve Loved, one of Stationery Trends’ Makers to Watch in 2026, spurs a wonderful (and unforgettable) exchange.

Sheryl’s Virtual Garden
Every last design from Sheryl’s Virtual Garden captures a flower forever. They are awe-inspiring all lined up — but also dynamic interspersed with more copy-heavy or illustrated designs.

Spaghetti & Meatballs
Spaghetti & Meatballs is more known for its cards — but it’s art print game is something else, especially when taken in in tandem!

The Pattern Book
This British brand made its Shoppe Object debut with a green wall that truly made its product pop. Kraft belly bands and envelopes pull everything together, plastic-free!

The Twentieth
Emma Lewis — who also maintains the shop Rare Form Chicago — was back, and has clearly been quite busy generating much “fintastic” card brilliance.

Toute Petite
This charming handpainted range is sensational on stationery, but ravishing on ring dishes! Thomasin just keeps adding gorgeous new designs — including the timely oyster dish smack dab in the center.

UWP Luxe
At UWP Luxe, it’s not a question if a design will be a bestseller — but rather, will it be a runaway bestseller? My money is on this little birdy getting the worm!

Yardia
Flora and fauna meet tarot and greeting card messaging with fabulous results, courtesy of Yardia.

Going to the Dogs!
The Westminster Kennel Club dog show was held concurrently with NY NOW, so market attendees were able to poke their head into that show and get exciting glimpses of the stars arriving and being sired about. I caught the backside of a potential champion on his way to compete right after checking out of my hotel, while at Shoppe Object, dogs took their rightful place alongside humans (and possibly even aided with negotiations)!













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