2013 Designer-Friendly Directory

At the start of every year, we spotlight roughly 100 companies and organizations providing first-rate products and services to creative professionals, adding value and finding solutions, communicating and standing behind our community and, more often than not, taking environmental and social responsibility seriously.

Companies who understand the creative mind have always been rare but, in our 50 years of publishing, it is hard to remember a time when they have been more scarce. Changing technologies and tightening economics are creating dislocations, established brands are disappearing faster than Twinkies, and many companies who once embraced our magnificent market have lost their focus. That makes the 2013 roster even more selective and deserving of recognition.

In the current listing, you will find treasures: paper mills and distributors, commercial and digital printers, stock agencies and type houses, hardware and software companies, recruiters and consultants, trade shows and associations, myriad goods and service providers.These are smart and motivated organizations who “get it” ‒ that your success is their success ‒ and who have the commitment and resources to invest in the creative community.

Included are company overviews, new developments of note, and contact information for buyers and specifiers. Not included are schools: education is becoming so critical to the evolving design marketplace that we have broken educational institutions into a separate listing for their own spotlight in the March/April edition.

Why does all this matter?

Because in an age of interdependence, collaboration and the blurring of design and production, you are only as good as your tools, your technologies, your services, your vendors, your knowledge and your information. That is true when the economic headwinds are with you or against you.

color service

PANTONE

Like GDUSA, Pantone is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The company has used its five decades well, becoming, hands down, the global authority on color and color standards for the design industries. Pantone has inspired design professionals with products, services and technology for the colorful exploration and expression of creativity. Over the years, Pantone has expanded its color matching system from the graphic arts to other color-critical industries such as digital technology, fashion, home, plastics, architecture and contract interiors, and paint. Today, the brand is known as the standard language for accurate color communication for everyone from designers to manufacturers to retailers and customers. And the Pantone Color Institute, a color research and information center that shares its color expertise with professionals in a variety of industries, is a major resource for GDUSA stories and features on color trends. Pantone’s 2013 color of the year: Emerald (PANTONE® 17-5641) a lively, radiant, lush green.
www.pantone.com

packaging + presentation services

ADMORE

Since 1947, Admore has been a major manufacturer of premium presentation folders and related items such as binders, portfolios and other presentation products. Admore products are sold only through qualified distributors and the product line features hundreds of standard design pocket folders, portfolios, report and tax covers, binders, computer packaging, key and gift card holders, plastic cards, totes and boxes. Customization of all products is available. There's also a large selection of in-house stocks, including recycled and certified papers, and sales tools and art templates are available on the website. The company’s cornerstone is quality. With the aid of engineers from the Graphic Art Technical Foundation, its 57,000 square foot facility was specifically designed to produce presentation products. Hence the mission statement: “We promise to present the best: passionate service, incredible quality and commitment to each other.” Admore is part of the Ennis family, engaged primarily in the sale of business forms, apparel and other business products, as well as private label printing.
www.admorefolders.com

CORPORATE IMAGE

Corporate Image is a leading provider of sustainable 3-ring custom binders and promotional presentation materials, including folders, boxes and multimedia packaging. The company is an FSC Certified printer, and remains committed to improving its production processes and introducing new eco-friendly materials that maintain a high level of quality while reducing waste. The company states: “We transform outstanding graphic design into beautiful presentation products. Our goal is to help you promote and differentiate your customers and products. When you are successful, we are successful.” The new 2013 catalogs are available online or can be requested via the website.
www.corp-image.com

UNIVENTURE

Univenture, an award-winning manufacturer of innovative media packaging products, was founded in 1988 by Ross Youngs in Marysville OH. Comprised of its UniKeep, EnvyPak, and Safety-sleeve brands, Univenture has designed and manufactured media packaging for the entertainment, software, and publishing industries for 25 years. Focusing on quality, consistency, and innovation, Univenture developed its novel U-1000 automated packaging technology that has provided tier-1 media suppliers with an improved solution for high-volume media packaging and customization. The company continues to invent and develop technologies and products. The dedication of the Univenture team and superior-quality products has resulted in numerous awards and accolades. The company has been listed on the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing private companies and Ross Youngs has been named Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration and Manufacturing Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young.
www.univenture.com

staffing + recruitment

AQUENT

Aquent is a global marketing and design staffing company. It specializes in staffing traditional marketing and design as well as the emerging fields of digital marketing and design. With offices in more than a dozen countries, Aquent has customers that include two-thirds of the Fortune 500 and 90 of the Fortune 100 companies. At Aquent, agents are organized into specialized practice areas with a track record of great service, including hundreds of clients who have worked with them for more than 10 years. A new division, Vitamin T, provides carefully screened freelance designers, developers and copywriters on a freelance and contract-to-hire basis. The exclusive focus is on mid-market and agency customers, with an emphasis on temp and temp-to-perm placements.
www.aquent.com

ARTISAN

Artisan was founded by Bejan Douraghy in 1988 as a creative haven for Chicago’s top talent. By 1993, Artisan had tripled in size and was cited in Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing companies in the nation. Now a respected authority and leader in the staffing industry, Artisan has continued to evolve into an influential interactive, technical, and creative staffing agency ‒ not just in it’s hometown but nationwide. With offices in Indianapolis, New York, and Washington DC, and partner branches now in San Francisco and Los Angeles (under Artisan Creative), Artisan currently serves 2,000 companies around the United States, along with thousands of skilled professionals in a wide variety of fields.
www.artisantalent.com

THE BOSS GROUP

The BOSS Group is an award-winning creative staffing agency that provides interactive, creative and marketing talent. We’ve been supplying temporary, temp-to-hire and direct hire professionals to leading organizations across virtually every industry sector for more than 20 years. The BOSS Group has local offices in many major metropolitan areas and is a certified Women’s Business Enterprise and a member of the BLR Holdings family of companies. Founded in 1988 by Linda Wein and Rossi Bonugli, two principals of a graphics production house, they have focused exclusively on human capital solutions for the creative profession since the beginning. The company attributes its success to a strict focus on creative staffing and adherence to its values: employee centricity, service excellence, entrepreneurial spirit and passionate performance.
www.thebossgroup.com

THE CREATIVE GROUP

The Creative Group specializes in placing a range of highly-skilled interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals with a variety of firms on a project and full-time basis. Internal account managers typically have prior experience working within the creative industry, which helps them better understand client needs and freelancers’ talents. Headquartered in Menlo Park CA, TCG has offices in major markets across the U.S. and Canada. As a designer-friendly company, The Creative Group is second to none. Executive Director Donna Farrugia is a regular columnist for GDUSA, and the firm contributes the popular and practical “Take Five” career tips to our monthly enewsletter. TCG’s alliances with well-respected industry organizations ‒ including a unique collaboration with AIGA called “INitiative” to help in-house designers grow professionally ‒ provide clients and associates with the latest information and tools they need to grow their careers and businesses. The website is a fount of information as well: tons of data and information generously shared with creatives, an award-winning career magazine, and the latest data and trends on industry salaries and hiring. The company is a division of specialized staffing leader Robert Half International.
www.creativegroup.com

time management

FUNCTIONFOX

FunctionFox is the leading provider of time and project tracking software for small creative companies. TimeFox, its web-based timesheet and project management software, is the number one ranked time-tracking system in North America. Graphic design, advertising, communications, marketing, multimedia, public relations, and interactive firms use TimeFox as their web-based time and project management application. It is currently used by thousands of customers in Canada, the US, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Last fall, FunctionFox expanded its footprint by launching a focused, powerful new time and project-tracking tool designed specifically for in-house creative teams. TimeFox In-House addresses the unique needs of these groups, including tracking which departments are using their services and locating bottlenecks in the approval process, and demonstrating the value of keeping creative services in-house. The website includes many resources including free demos, articles, webinars, research studies and more.
www.functionfox.com

hardware + software

ADOBE

Adobe is changing the world through digital technology and experiences. The company has redefined business, entertainment and personal communications by setting new standards for producing and delivering engaging content. Its portfolio contains many of the most respected and recognizable software brands such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver and Acrobat. A new thrust of particular interest to graphic designers: the Adobe Creative Cloud, a membership-based service that lets creatives download and install all of Adobe’s desktop applications ‒ as well as many others including Adobe Muse for creating websites ‒ and also get online service for file storage, sharing, collaboration and publishing.
www.adobe.com

AGFA GRAPHICS

Agfa has long been a world leader in prepress solutions for the printing and publishing industries, and an advocate for graphic designers and print buyers. Agfa Graphics offers workflow automation, project management, computer-to-film, computer-to-plate and proofing solutions. These solutions comprise consumables, hardware, software and services. As the world’s largest plate supplier, the company produces analog plates as well as thermal, visible light, and chemistry-free digital plates. It is also moving into a leadership position in the growing digital inkjet market. It has strengthened its distribution power with the acquisition of Pitman, a major graphic arts distributor. An environmentally friendly program of note: Agfa GreenWorks recognizes printers who promote environmental awareness through inhouse programs and the effective use of “green” prepress and printing technologies.
www.gdusa.com/agfa or www.agfagraphics.com

APPLE

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. In the 21st century, the company continues to innovate with its desktop and notebook computers, its spearhead of the digital music revolution with iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and its contribution to the mobile phone market via the iPhone and its distribution of Apps. Despite the symbiotic history between graphic design and Apple’s origins, Apple’s focus has increasingly moved to the consumer market and to mobile devices, making it one of the most valuable companies in the world. The death of Steve Jobs evoked a worldwide outpouring of grief ‒ an indication of Apple’s influence ‒ and the company’s next challenge is to move forward without his towering presence. (GDUSA is available as a free iPad App in the Apple store.)
www.apple.com

CANON USA

Canon USA is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. With approximately $45.6 billion in global revenue, its parent company ranks third overall in U.S. patents registered in 2011 and is one of Fortune Magazine's World’s Most Admired Companies in 2012. In 2012, Canon U.S.A. received the PCMag.com Readers’ Choice Award for Service and Reliability in the digital camera and printer categories for the ninth consecutive year, and for camcorders for the past two years. The company is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. Many of their office products, professional imaging products, and production printing solutions are relevant to the graphic design community.
www.usa.canon.com

COREL

Corel provides some of the industry’s best-known software brands, including Roxio, Pinnacle and WinZip. Boasting the most comprehensive portfolio of graphics, productivity and digital media products, they have built a reputation for delivering innovative software that’s easy to learn and use, helping people achieve new levels of creativity and productivity. The industry has responded with hundreds of awards for innovation, design and value. Product lines include CorelDRAW Graphics Suite, Corel Painter, Corel PaintShop Pro, Corel VideoStudio, Corel WordPerfect Office, Pinnacle Studio, Roxio Creator, Roxio Toast and WinZip.
www.corel.com

DELL

For decades, Dell has been a major provider of computers and information technology infrastructure. Its climb to market leadership is legendary. Dell is making a concerted effort to serve the creative professional community and related small businesses with targeted products, such as the Dell Precision workstations, which often come with special offers on Adobe software. Interestingly, in the traditionally Mac-oriented world of design and publishing, Dell’s use among designers, artists, photographers and 3D animators is on the rise. Michael Dell’s biggest accomplishment may well be taking his company from a PC maker to a technology firm with a strong product portfolio from desktop to data center. As the computer and desktop market changes, Dell has gotten serious about ramping its solutions skills and capabilities with investments in key intellectual property and talent. The company has its best solutions portfolio ever and celebrated the largest single-year revenue increase in company history.
www.dell.com

EPSON AMERICA

Epson America is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global technology company at the forefront of technological revolutions in imaging, robotics, precision machinery and electronics. Epson offers an extensive array of image capture and image output products for the consumer, photographic, business and graphic arts markets. The company is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale printers and transaction terminals for the retail market. Founded in 1975, Epson America is headquartered in Long Beach CA. Of particular note for GDUSA readers are the family of Epson Designer Edition printers. With these, you can print on one sheet, full-bleed, from 17" up to 44" wide, tapping into the advanced and accurate color management system. This includes demanding CMYK files and matching spot colors ‒ even on the same sheet. The EFI eXpress RIP is included with every printer. It uses true Adobe® PostScript 3, runs on both Mac and Windows platforms, and is compatible with the latest software and file formats.
www.epson.com

HP

Stanford University classmates Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard founded HP in 1939. The company’s first product, built in a Palo Alto garage, was an audio oscillator ‒ an electronic test instrument used by sound engineers. One of HP's first customers was Walt Disney Studios, which purchased eight oscillators to develop and test an innovative sound system for the movie Fantasia. Today, HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world’s largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure to solve customer problems. Among the current graphic arts product offerings are: Designjet Printers, Scitex Industrial Printers, Indigo Digital Presses, Inkjet Web Press, Specialty Printing Systems, Workflow Solutions, and selected Desktop Computers and Workstations.
www.hp.com

KODAK

Kodak helps consumers, businesses, and creative professionals unleash the power of images, information, and printing to enrich their lives. In the graphic communications industry, Kodak serves customers in the printing, publishing, packaging and enterprise markets with intelligent solutions for competitive advantage and greater return on investment. The Kodak Graphic Communications Group unit has one of the broadest portfolios of technologies, products, and services in the graphic communications and document capture industries. Kodak continues to receive global recognition for its pursuit of sustainability. For example, as an active participant in The Climate Registry, a North American collaboration for greenhouse gas (ghg) reporting, Kodak recently received Platinum status for its achievements in reducing ghg emissions.
www.graphics.kodak.com

MICROSOFT

It’s hard to add too much to the legendary Microsoft story. Founded in 1975, it is now the largest software company in the world by far. The company offers products ‒ such as Microsoft Word, Office and Office:mac and, of course, Windows ‒ that affect most everyone. This fall, Microsoft unveiled Windows 8, with its new user interface and a wide range of applications. “We have reimagined Windows and the result is a stunning lineup of new PCs,” said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. “Windows 8 brings together the best of the PC and the tablet. It works perfect for work and play and it is alive with your world. Every one of our customers will find a PC that they will absolutely love.” Will this arrest the downward trend in PC use? Early reports are mixed.
www.microsoft.com/expression/community

QUARK

Founded in Denver in 1981, Quark’s vision was to create software that would lay the foundation for modern publishing. For 30 years, Quark has striven to deliver on that promise, with mixed success. Quark’s dynamic publishing solutions are setting standards in automated cross-media publishing by combining the power of XML with flexible layout and design to automate the delivery of customized, intelligent communications across print, the web, and digital media. The latest iteration of its once-dominant, still popular, print design and publishing software is QuarkXPress® 9, which focuses on extending content out to digital design and publishing purposes as well.
www.quark.com

ROLAND DGA

Headquartered in Irvine CA, Roland DGA is the U.S.-based marketing, distribution and sales arm of Roland DG Corp of Japan. Founded in 1981, Roland DG is the world’s number one provider of wide-format inkjet printers for the durable graphics market. Celebrating decades of innovation, Roland provides business-critical solutions everyday to professionals across the sign, grand-format, sublimation, UV inkjet, digital graphics, vehicle graphics, fine art, photography, packaging, label, engraving and 3D modeling industries. A notable product for designers: the Roland VersaStudio BN-20 desktop printer/cutter. It prints mockups and short runs with CMYK and metallic colors, then diecuts them into labels, comps, posters, decals, photographs and more.
www.rolanddga.com

WACOM

Founded in 1983, Wacom’s vision to bring people and technology closer together through natural interface technologies has made it the world’s leading manufacturer of pen tablets, interactive pen displays and digital interface solutions. The advanced technology of Wacom’s intuitive input devices has been used to create some of the most exciting digital art, films, special effects, fashions and designs around the world and provide business and home users with the ability to explore digital content creation in a comfortable, natural way. For design professionals, The Cintiq™ and Intuos™ product lines sport features inspired by members of the creative community, with an emphasis on superior control, enhanced comfort, and efficient workflow advantages. (The Intuos5 is a GDUSA art department favorite.) Wacom is exceptional at education and training as well.
www.wacom.com

XEROX

Xerox Corporation is a $23 billion leading global enterprise for business process and document management. Through its broad portfolio of technology and services, Xerox provides leading-edge document technology, services, software and genuine Xerox supplies for graphic communication and office printing environments of any size. For the creative community, Xerox produces, among other things, digital printing systems that address multiple needs: printing of proofs, comps and short runs of final color pieces in design studios through the Phaser family and printing of final jobs in print shops on Xerox iGen3 Digital Production Presses. A recent notable product launch was the Phaser 7800, made especially for the color management and media handling needs of professional graphic designers.
www.xerox.com

stock visuals

ART RESOURCE

Art Resource is the world’s largest fine art stock photo archive, with more than a million fine art images from the world’s leading sources, available for licensing to all media, hundreds of thousands of which are keyword searchable online. The range of offerings run the gamut from prehistoric times to the present. Art Resource carries the works of almost every major museum in Europe, and functions as the official rights and permissions representative for many institutions in the U.S. and abroad. A full list is available on the site, but to give a sense of the breadth, these include The Metropolitan Museum of Art and MoMA in New York, the National Gallery, Tate Modern, and the British Museum in London, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, all fifty-one national museums of France including the Musée du Louvre, Italy’s Uffizi and Scala Fine Arts Archive, all twenty-one Berlin State Museums, not to mention The Hermitage in St. Petersburg, the Vatican Museum, and the Prado in Madrid. Art Resource invites you to “come experience our gallery.”
www.artres.com

BIGSTOCK

Bigstock has quickly grown into one of the world’s largest digital marketplaces for stock imagery, featuring both credit-based plans and pay-as-you go options. It now offers over 12 million royalty free photos and vectors and illustrations from talented photographers and artists worldwide, available for almost any purpose. Acquired by Shutterstock in 2009, a recent site redesign gives Bigstock a modern and professional look, easy and logical navigation, and a greatly improved interface. Today’s customers include graphic designers, web designers, publishers, educators and small business owners for whom the attractive price points are important.
www.bigstockphoto.com

BLEND IMAGES

Blend Images is an industry leader in multicultural stock photography, specializing exclusively in ethnically diverse lifestyle and business imagery. The collection celebrates ethnic and cultural diversity, reflecting the realities of today’s multicultural society. Founded by a consortium of talented photographers and managed by key industry veterans, Blend Images has established itself as a premiere destination for ethnic diversity in stock images. Through extensive market research and creative intelligence, Blend seeks to create vibrant, culturally relevant imagery for the marketplace, capturing the real-life essence of a variety of ethnic groups. This exclusive niche focus on ethnically diverse imagery speaks directly to clients’ needs. The company offers a value royalty free collection, Boost, and a unique rights-managed collection.
www.blendimages.com

BRIDGEMAN ART LIBRARY

Bridgeman Art Library is a unique resource for designers, not only for fine art and historical images, but for painting details, backgrounds, design elements, patterns and new contemporary artists. With images from over 8,000 collections and more than 29,000 artists, it represents international museums, galleries and artists by providing a central source of fine art for image users. By registering at the Bridgeman site, designers have instant access to hundreds of thousands of images. Here they can keep up with a constant stream of new developments, create, store and send image selections with a personalized lightbox, and have the option to license and download high-resolution images. Bridgeman is also quickly delving into archival footage. The American Society of Picture Professionals named President Ed Whitley the 2012 Picture Professional of the Year.
www.bridgemanart.com

CORBIS

Corbis Images is a leading visual media provider for advertising, marketing and media professionals, providing a comprehensive selection of stock photography and illustrations. Through its branded websites ‒ Corbis Images, Corbis Motion, Veer, and Greenlight ‒ the company helps the creative community produce distinctive work for websites, magazines, newspapers, books, television and films. Corbis Images serves its global customer base through its renowned Sales & Service teams and a fast, intuitive web site. A very useful Trends In Sight section of the website helps keep creatives informed about image trends. Corbis has offices in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia that serve more than 50 countries.
www.corbisimages.com

ERICKSON STOCK

Erickson Stock is a premier source for high-quality, emotional lifestyle stock photos and video footage. With collections including business, travel, healthcare, family and many other image libraries, the firm has myriad ways to tell your story-through stills or video. The work of renowned assignment photographer Jim Erickson, he and his team have generated thousands of images and stock video clips in order to supply clients who demand super-consistent, assignment-quality, stock photography and video content. Erickson Stock recently revamped its website to present a sophisticated new look and several features including robust search options and larger image views. It is also mobile device friendly. Erickson invites creatives to “download your next campaign.”
www.ericksonstock.com and www.jimerickson.com

GETTY IMAGES

In 1995, Mark Getty and Jonathan Klein founded Getty Images to bring the fragmented stock photography business into the digital age. And that’s exactly what they did. Today, Getty Images is the largest provider of digital media worldwide, creating and distributing a range of assets and tools that enable visual communicators to create inspiring work of their own. This includes the broadest collections of imagery and footage ‒ including award-winning news, sport and entertainment content, plus rare and contemporary archival imagery ‒ as well as a music collection that provides a wide range of pre-cleared tracks from independent artists, chart-topping acts and popular soundtracks. A new innovation: “The Feed,” which identifies trending topics on social media and makes related photos available.
www.gettyimages.com

THE GRANGER COLLECTION

For nearly a half-century under the same continuous direction, The Granger Collection has been a convenient and reliable source for the history of the world in pictures. The collection holds more than six million images spanning more than 25,000 years of world history, from before the Stone Age to the dawn of the Space Age. The Granger Collection specializes in the history of people, places, things, and events represented in a variety of mediums including photographs, paintings, engravings, lithographs, and more. The website offers easy access to the growing scanned collection, and as of last fall has been redesigned to be especially tablet-friendly. “With the popularity of tablet computers skyrocketing, we wanted to ensure that our clients who use them can continue to search our content conveniently,” says Managing Director Lila Dlaboha.
www.granger.com

ISTOCKPHOTO

iStockphoto offers inspiration for every project and budget with millions of hand-picked, royalty-free photos, illustrations, video, audio tracks and files for editorial use. Using the most advanced search in the business, customers download a file every second from a collection of more than twelve million files for business, marketing and personal projects. Though the company has grown, the basic idea remains the same: anyone, anywhere can join for free, find the digital media they need and sell original content of their own. iStockphoto continues to host Feast, a site dedicated to creatives. Feast provides inspiration from a diverse group of designers, photographers, directors, writers, marketing professionals and more. iStockphoto started in 2000, pioneering the micropayment photography business model, and has become one of the most successful and profitable user-generated content sites in the world. iStockphoto is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Getty Images.
www.iStockphoto.com and feast.iStockphoto.com

MASTERFILE

Masterfile is a major independent stock photo agency. It has an exceptional photo collection of rights-managed and royalty-free stock images and illustrations by world-class artists and photographers. A suite of time saving tools for the creative professional are at the heart of Masterfile’s recent website upgrade. In addition to powerful extant features like SimSearch™, zoom and visual pairing, the new capabilities enable users to customize the interface; open, refine and save searches on multiple tabs; search by color with preset palettes; review previously enlarged images with an extensive search history; and upload a reference image and find a similar (or a match) in seconds. among their latest initiatives: a series of attractive subscription plan offerings.
www.masterfile.com

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC STOCK

This is one of the most comprehensive and unique collections of photographs and original artwork in the world. It contains more than 10 million transparencies, black-and-white prints, glass plates and pieces of original art. As one might expect from the source, the photographs are real, dramatic, accurate, thought-provoking and impactful. Importantly, the website is powerful and easy to use. It also provides information on personalized projects or needs, including custom research, all-inclusive story packages (images and text), dupes or digital delivery via CD or FTP, and assignment options. Stock footage is also available from National Geographic Digital Motion, arguably the world's most captivating digital film archive. Finally, assignment shoots are possible: they have recently done campaigns for Ford trucks, Ralph Lauren RLX, Nike, Audi, State Farm, Nikon, Panasonic, and United Airlines, among others.
www.nationalgeographicstock.com

SHUTTERSTOCK

Shutterstock is the largest subscription-based stock photo agency in the world. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in New York City, Shutterstock is a two-sided marketplace, whose “mission is to connect creative professionals with the best photos, vectors, illustrations and video from thousands of contributors around the world.” To that end, they add thousands of photographs, illustrations, and vectors to their collection of premium, royalty-free images. The growth has been explosive, currently at 20 million photos, illustrations, vectors and videos. Several subscription options are available for frequent users ‒ GDUSA’s creative department is a happy subscriber ‒ as well as an on-demand option and one for special uses. Shutterstock operates in 10 languages and more than 150 countries.
www.shutterstock.com

STOCKFOOD

StockFood is a leading international food image agency and offers the largest food picture database on the internet. A unique variety of rights managed and royalty free food images and clips by international photographers and filmmakers. In addition to food and beverages, collections include wellbeing, health, flowers and decoration photos. Recently, StockFood launched living4media, a new picture agency specializing in home and living. The concept is to unite outstanding interior and lifestyle images produced by photographers and niche agencies all under one roof. Living4media offers images covering every aspect of contemporary domestic life: interiors, DIY, renovation as well as crafts, home décor and gardens.
www.stockfood.com

SUPERSTOCK

SuperStock is a pioneering website that features a wide assortment of royalty free and rights managed images, as well as several specialty collections of note. Photographer-owned and operated, the agency is passionate is dedicated to providing new and compelling content to clients in publishing, advertising and design. SuperStock’s collection offers Royalty Free, Rights Managed, and Subscription stock images and licensing. Also available: an extensive Fine Art collection expertly sourced from the world’s leading museums with works of the masters as well as contemporary illustrators; a Vintage collection containing thousands of archival images covering historical events, public figures and social movements; the SuperScience collection of images in the fields of science and technology; and several Curated collections of hand-picked images in select subject categories.
www.superstock.com

THINKSTOCK

Thinkstock has become a growing player in image subscriptions, providing one of the most complete offerings available in the marketplace. The reason for its popularity is its straightforward three-part business model. First, Thinkstock offers millions of select and premium royalty-free images, vectors and illustrations from leading content providers Getty Images, iStockphoto and Jupiterimages. Second, designers can download up to 25 images a day with an affordable subscription, and once you’ve used an image, it can be used over and over again in future projects. Third, the process is streamlined, with simple subscription and image pack options, robust search and 24/7 image access.
www.thinkstock.com

TREVILLION IMAGES

Trevillion Images is a UK-based creative stock photo agency. The images are known for their quality. Trevillion’s founder and Creative Director is himself an international art photographer, and the images have a distinctive style which has established the unique Trevillion brand: evocative, atmospheric and narrative. Clients including book publishers, advertising and design agencies, magazines and newspapers, packaging, music CDs, brochures, greeting cards and wall art.
www.trevillion.com

VEER

Affordable images and fonts for creatives is Veer’s reason-to-be. At Veer, designers enjoy an uncomplicated shopping experience that lets you stay focused on what’s really important: your creative work. The company’s creative elements “help people add style to business, marketing, and personal design projects ‒ from websites and blog posts to business presentations and ad campaigns.”There are currently over four million images to chose from, and they can be purchased by credit card or prepaid credit packs or by subscription. Of special note: The Skinny is Veer’s blog, whose role is inspire by showcasing Veer’s our own images and type, way-out-there oddities, and the best of the web.
www.veer.com

type

BERTHOLD TYPES

Berthold is an important designer source for high-quality, classic typefaces. Founded in 1858 in Berlin, the H. Berthold foundry was renowned for crafting high-quality typefaces and was one of the largest and most successful type foundries in the world. Berthold Types continues this tradition offering design professionals the quality typefaces comprising the Berthold Exklusiv Collection. Berthold exclusively offers the Akzidenz-Grotesk typeface: the original sans and most influential grotesque. Berthold also exclusively offers other classic typefaces such as AG Book, Barmeno, Block, City, Delta, Formata, Imago, and many other new and long-time favorites. Berthold font software is available in the Open Type format with many font families available with extended language support. The firm offers a variety of licensing options from basic end user licenses for individuals and small companies to flexible corporate extended licenses for use with the latest technologies.
www.bertholdtypes.com

HOEFLER & FRERE-JONES

Since 1989, Jonathan Hoefler and Tobias Frere-Jones have helped some of the world’s foremost publications, corporations, and institutions develop their unique voice through typography. Their body of work includes some of the world's most famous designs, typefaces marked by both high performance and high style. H&FJ continues to work with brand leaders in every sector, developing original typefaces and licensing fonts from its library of more than a thousand designs, and it publishes fonts exclusively through its New York sales office and its website.
www.typography.com

MONOTYPE IMAGING

Monotype Imaging combines technology with design to help the world communicate. Brand managers, product developers, content creators and designers depend on typefaces and technologies from Monotype Imaging for consistent, global, visual communications. The company brings text imaging and graphical user interface capabilities to consumer electronics devices such as laser printers, copiers, mobile phones, navigation devices, digital cameras, e-book readers, automotive devices, tablets, digital televisions, set-top boxes and consumer appliances. Its technologies are combined with access to thousands of typefaces from the Monotype, Linotype and ITC typeface libraries ‒ home to some of the world’s most widely used designs. The Fonts.com™ store offers tens of thousands of font products for preview, purchase and download. Designers can also learn about new typeface releases and discover typographic tips and techniques at the site and at the Fonts.com blog. A new initiative: SkyFonts font rental service, which now provides access to over 5,000 fonts, including an array of design standards from premium sources such as Monotype, Linotype, ITC, Ascender and Bitstream.
www.fonts.com

VEER

Affordable images and fonts for creatives is Veer’s reason-to-be. At Veer, designers enjoy an uncomplicated shopping experience that lets you stay focused on what’s really important: your creative work. The company’s creative elements “help people add style to business, marketing, and personal design projects‒from websites and blog posts to business presentations and ad campaigns.” There are currently over 12,000 fonts to chose from, and dozens of featured releases on displayed prominently on the site at any one time. Of special note: The Skinny is Veer’s blog, whose role is inspire by showcasing Veer’s our own type and images, way-out-there oddities, and the best of the web.
www.veer.com

eco-certification

FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL

FSC was created to change the dialog about and the practice of sustainable forestry worldwide. The group sets forth principles, criteria, and standards that span economic, social, and environmental concerns. Its standards represent a strong system for guiding forest management toward sustainable outcomes. Like the forestry profession itself, the FSC system includes stakeholders with a diverse array of perspectives on what represents a well-managed and sustainable forest. As a multi-stakeholder organization, FSC applies the directive of its membership to develop forest management and chain of custody standards, deliver trademark assurance and provide accreditation services to a global network of committed businesses, organizations and communities. The U.S. division is based in Minnesota.
T 612.353.4511
www.fsc.org

SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY INITIATIVE

The SFI program was launched in 1994 as one of the U.S. forest sector’s contributions to the vision of sustainable development established by the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. Today, it is an independent, non-profit organization responsible for maintaining, overseeing and improving a sustainable forestry certification program. Across North America, more than 197 million acres are certified to the SFI forest management standard, making it the largest single standard in the world. SFI chain-of-custody certification tells buyers how much certified, responsibly sourced and/or recycled content is in a product. SFI program’s unique fiber sourcing requirements promote responsible forest management on all suppliers’ lands. The SFI is based on principles promoting sustainable forest management, including measures to protect water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, species at risk, and Forests with Exceptional Conservation Value. For graphic designers, package designers and other print professionals ‒ tasked with the responsible for buying or specifying paper and paper products ‒ SFI certification provides the confidence that they receiving products from certified forests or certified sourcing.
www.sfiprogram.org

commercial + online printers

4OVER

4over is the largest trade-only printer in North America. With facilities in seven states, it offers a broad range of in-demand offset, digital and large-format printed products, with a wide variety of production turnaround and shipping options. An industry leader in print order fulfillment for print brokers, graphic designers, photographers and other trade professionals, 4over has a state-of-the-art print production facility and superior computer-controlled color quality, and has established itself with a tradition of quality and consistency. Since its inception in 2001, 4over has experienced explosive growth. In a few short years, it has grown into an operation with hundreds of employees and expanded from a single building to numerous fully-operational facilities that encompass 400,000 feet of production and office space. The newest facility is in Mississauga ON, joining those in seven states: Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, and Texas.
www.4over.com

ALLIED

This full service solution-based printing company has grown, over six decades, to become one of the largest family-owned commercial printers in New England. Allied now operates out of a 254,000 sq. ft. modern facility on a beautiful 30 acre campus located in Manchester CT, with an additional 40,000 sq. ft. facility in Marlborough MA. With a vast array of prepress, printing and digital printing, finishing and fulfillment solutions, the company services a wide range of industries including financial/investment companies, advertising/ design/marketing agencies, manufacturing companies, healthcare organizations, biotechnology businesses, and retail/wholesale organizations. Competitive prices and quick turnaround, high quality standards (ISO 9001 certification), responsive service, versatile capabilities, the ability to meet designers’ expectations, and a commitment to sustainability are among its many strengths.
www.alliedprinting.com

FEY

Fey Printing is family-owned and places ultimate value on personal relationships. This dates all the way back to 1932, when Manuel “Manny” Fey purchased W.F. Huffman Printing Co. From a small hot-metal printshop, renamed Fey Publishing Company, to a modern 100,000 square foot full-service facility of today, the more that things have changed, the more they stayed the same. The dedication to integrity, quality and personal service remains rooted in their “desire to do business with friends.” When Donald Gasch purchased the company in 1989, the company was rejuvenated with fresh ideas, strong leadership and visionary direction. He also rebranded as Fey Printing, to emphasize that his is a full-serve commercial printing operation. But one thing did not change: Fey has remained, at its roots, a family-owned business. The leadership team crosses generations and includes Scott C. Gasch, President, Keith Gasch, Vice President, and, representing the latest generation, Kristopher Gasch, Director of Marketing.
www.feyprinting.com

IMAGERS

Imagers opened in 1947 and has built a national following of professional designers and production people for its fast, reliable and affordable digital prepress, production and short-run printing services. The company is a single source for digital offset printing, large format posters and banners, banner stands and portable displays, color laser printing, business cards, brochures, invites and postcards with special new low rates. Imagers is also an environmentally conscious company, earning certifications from both FSC and SFI. A key to Imagers’ continued success: the knowledge and expertise to be a single source for its clients’ graphic needs and to serve as a true extension of the clients’ marketing departments.
www.imagers.com

KARR GRAPHICS

Karr Graphics has been putting ink on paper for the New York City design community for over 35 years. The company has won hundreds of awards for many of the city's most prestigious graphic designers, art directors and print professionals. In-house specialty print processes include: engraving, foil stamping, embossing, die-cutting and letterpress, as well as two through seven color printing. “Our work is what differentiates us from other printing firms,” says President Larry Karr. “Whether it’s a new corporate identity package, media kit, special event package or new promotional campaign, we deliver our company’s full resources to make our clients look good on paper.” The website provides a detailed explanation of available print processes and the portfolio of work.
www.karrgraphics.com

MODERN POSTCARD

Modern Postcard prides itself on helping clients attract and retain their best customers. With over 25 years of printing experience, the company specializes in direct mail with postcards. Its state-of-the-art 75,000 square foot facility in Carlsbad CA makes it possible to print and mail the highest quality postcards on the market at competitive rates, combined with quick turnaround and true one-on-one customer service. Everything from start to finish ‒ typesetting, drum scanning, direct-to-plate digital imaging, printing, shipping, bindery and complete mailing service ‒ is produced inhouse. Complete mailing services also add convenience, improve delivery and maximize postage savings. Their superior customer service support features personal account teams, web-based status reports and automated reminder calls. And the company’s paper stocks and print production is environmentally friendly. There are several ways to order: Full Service ‒ a complete solution, Upload & Go ‒ where designers prep their own files and enjoy savings, and Simplecard ‒greeting or postcards for small orders.
www.modernpostcard.com

MPRESS

MPress Graphics, led by industry veterans Gerry Schneiderman and Maggie Black, has extensive experience working with top graphic designers and corporate end users in the New York metropolitan area. MPress’s business model is to align itself with leading production and manufacturing resources in the industry and to find exactly the right fit of capacity, capability and quality for clients. Offerings include engraving, offset printing, thermography, embossing, foil stamping and die cutting. The company has been marked by extremely rapid growth, built, say the founders, on their ability to “stand in their clients’ shoes” so as to understand their needs and deliver for them. mPress crafts GDUSA stationery and the Award Certificates for many of GDUSA’s competitions, and has been a winner in the competition as well.
www.mpressllc.com

MY1STOP

My1Stop.com is “America’s online printing superstore,” offering all types of printed products. Established in 2005, the goal has always been to provide excellent customer service and superior quality products at competitive prices. The firm offers a wide range of custom printed and stock products with quick turn times. Overall customer experience is enhanced with a seasoned staff of printing experts who provide real time customer service via live chat, phone, email, and/or fax. Services and capabilities include: marketing collaterals with photo quality printing; product labels stock and custom presentation folders; plastic applications such as cards, mailers, table talkers, and spin wheels; unique magnet applications; long run labels for distribution centers; healthcare forms and wristbands; short run checks for small business; distribution labeling solutions and more.
www.My1Stop.com

NAVITOR

Navitor is a recognized leader in the wholesale trade printing industry with an impressive portfolio of products and processes, and over 60 years experience in commercial printing. Navitor customers know they can rely on quality not just for the easy jobs, but also for projects that require unique processes, specialty inks or paper, full color thermography, die cutting, blind emboss and many more process options. Navitor offers wholesale print pricing to graphic designers, marketing services companies, print shop owners, ad agencies, print brokers and others in the promotional industries. Navitor sells exclusively through our reseller partners, and end users may contact Navitor to find a local partner in their area. With a tagline “Your Reputation Is Everything,” Navitor embrace the fact that “it’s your reputation that’s on the line.” A new initiative: Navitor and CoCo have teamed up to launch Design Works Studio, a free coworking program just for designers.
www.navitor.com

UNIMAC

UNIMAC Graphics is one of just a handful of printers who has qualified as a PANTONE Certified Printer. Said to be “a graphic designers dream come true,” the company helps designers inspirations come to life with unique techniques including textured UV Coatings, inline Cast & Cure and Cold Foil Treatments. UNIMAC lets designers go beyond paper to print on a variety of substrates including foils, polypropylene, vinyl, and holographic materials. The pressroom features large format offset presses 56" to 78", 6 color web offset, multiple 41" sheetfed, 5 color digital webs, and digital sheetfed equipment. Press approvals are second nature, and the finishing department is extensive with die-cutting, hot foil stamping, embossing and packaging equipment. Being financially sound has provided a critical link that benefits every aspect of the business. This includes the acquisition of the latest equipment, the quality and competency of its 250 employees and the support of various vendors. UNIMAC also excels in quality and environmental standards: they have installed solar on their roof, which generates 1 megawatt of power; they are ISO 14001 Environmental, ISO 9001 Quality Management, and ISO 27001 Data Management Certified. They are also FSC & SFI CoC Certified, NJDEP Environmental Stewardship Certified, and G7 Master Printer Certified.
www.unimacgraphics.com

VISTAPRINT

With over ten million transactions a year, Vistaprint offers high-quality printed marketing materials, promotional products and marketing services such as copywriting, design, websites and postcard mailing. Through a revolutionary business model supported by patented and proprietary technologies, Vistaprint delivers high-quality printed products in low volume for a great price. Products range from business cards, brochures and postcards to invitations, note pads and thank you notes. Vistaprint also provides online services and solutions, such as email marketing, websites and postcard mailing. The key to the business is technology: Vistaprint’s proprietary technologies fully automate the manufacturing of printing, as well as the way orders are created and submitted. Lower costs are passed along to savings for customers. The company also has a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
www.vistaprint.com

retail paper providers

ENVELOPES.COM

Headquartered in Amityville NY, with distribution facilities strategically located throughout the U.S., Envelopes.com products range from standard sizes and styles of mailing envelopes to unique, hard to find, specialty envelope products. Most are available both plain or printed. A second generation family-owned and operated business founded in 1971, the company’s mission is to provide every customer with high-quality products, the best envelope value and the most comprehensive service. Envelopes.com has several earth-friendly initiatives including 30%-100% recycled products, soy inks, carbon neutral shipping, and more.
www.envelopes.com

JAM PAPER

A proudly family-owned and operated company for over 50 years, JAM Paper & Envelope has retail stores and offices in New York and New Jersey ‒ including two locations in Manhattan: 466 Lexington Avenue (Midtown), 135 Third Avenue (Downtown/Union Square) ‒ and 185 Legrand Avenue (Northvale NJ). Its robust website carries a wide range of envelopes, plastics, paper, folders, bags, portfolios and boxes to help businesses and individuals look professional, creative and smart. With plants and warehouses on both coasts, as well as overseas, the company ships the same business day, has no minimum orders, provides volume discounts, and can customize portfolios to the exact specifications you need.
www.jampaper.com

THE PAPER MILL STORE

This online store began in 2004 with the idea of offering graphics professionals great papers and prices that are easy to get when needed. The corporate office campus is in Sun Prairie WI, with a state-of-the-art 72,000-square-foot converting and distribution center in the heart of the “Paper Valley”-Neenah WI. Because they stock all papers in climate controlled safety, and their own people pick and pack orders for same-day or next day delivery, paper and envelopes will arrive on time and in perfect condition. The company uses 100% wind power through the purchase of renewable energy credits, offsets carbon produced by shipments, and FSC and SFI chain of custody certification.
www.thepapermillstore.com

papers + substrates

CASCADES

Cascades Fine Papers Group is a Canadian-based leader in ecological and security fine papers manufacturing, with a century-long reputation for craftsmanship and sustainability. A company where initiative and respect for the environment are part of its everyday operations, they work constantly to improve products and processes and reduce their environmental footprint. Uncoated fine papers made by Cascades contain significant quantities of postconsumer fiber and are certified by credible environmental organizations. The product line includes a large family of Rolland Enviro100 grades for commercial printing and reprographic purposes, including Rolland Enviro100 Print, Satin, Digital, Copy, Book, and Cascades EnviroCraft. A complete product chart, an environmental calculator, and the “Green By Design” newsletter can be downloaded from the website.
www.cascades.com

CLEARWATER

Clearwater Paper is recognized worldwide for its quality paperboard, consumer tissue, and wood products, enabling customers to compete in the highest ends of their markets. Of particular note to print and packaging professionals: Clearwater is North America’s largest nonintegrated producer of bleached paperboard. Their Ancora® and Candesce® lines of premium SBS paperboard both have ultrasmooth surfaces for printing clear images and sharp text. Both stand up to demanding and advanced print jobs, making varnishing treatments, foil stamping, and embossing simple. In addition, Ancora and Candesce are available with either FSC or SFI certification in a full caliper range, and the company adheres to rigorous standards on greenhouse gas emissions and energy use.
www.clearwaterpaper.com

DOMTAR

Domtar is the largest integrated manufacturer and marketer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America and the second largest in the world based on production capacity. The company designs, manufactures, markets and distributes a wide range of business, commercial printing and publishing grades. Their brands are well-known to graphic designers and printers, and include Cougar®, Lynx® Opaque Ultra, Husky® Opaque Offset, First Choice® and Domtar EarthChoice® Office Paper, part of a growing family of environmentally and socially responsible papers. The company sponsors a popular and award-winning “Paper Because” campaign to promote the power of print and paper, and makes available the “Domtar Paper Trail” resource and environmental impact calculator.
www.domtar.com and www.paperbecause.com

FIBERMARK

Within the broad categories of business segments and growing number of niche markets the company participates in, FiberMark products, processes and people help strengthen brands, bolster quality and drive performance. FiberMark North America is a world-class fully integrated manufacturer and global distributor crafting its fiber-based specialty materials in the U.S. and U.K. The company forms a rich tapestry of inspired top-of-the line products that distinguish it as a trusted source, solutions provider and creative partner for our customers and world leading brands. Decorative covering materials are enhanced with a variety of colors, finishes, and embossing techniques that create visual depth and invite touch. FiberMark’s “Naturally Creative” tag line refers, as well, to its commitment to sustainability through source reduction, green operations and practices, and custom design solutions.
www.fibermark.com

FINCH PAPER

Finch Paper is widely recognized for the quality of its uncoated printing papers, its exceptional customer service, and its commitment to sustainable forestry. The company operates a single, fully-integrated pulp and paper manufacturing facility in Glens Falls NY, at which it produces more than 255,000 tons per year of high-quality uncoated printing papers for marketing, book publishing and business office purposes. Finch also continues a 100-year-old tradition of responsible forest management by offering consulting forestry services to public and private landowners, utilizing a dedicated team of professional foresters. The portfolio includes Finch Premium Blend, Finch Fine text and cover, Finch Casa Opaque, Finch Opaque and the Finch Digital line.
www.finchpaper.com

HAZEN PAPER

Hazen Paper was founded in 1925 and is based in Holyoke MA with satellite facilities in Osgood IN and Housatonic MA. Hazen Paper is a world-class paper convertor specializing in custom holographic originations, film, foil, and paper laminations, specialty and gravure coatings, and rotary embossing. Hazen Paper Company products enjoy a wide acceptance for use in health and beauty packaging, entertainment and media packaging, golf ball packaging, bookbinding, lottery scratch tickets, merchandise tags, product labels, photo mounting, and ticketing applications.
www.hazen.com

INTERNATIONAL PAPER

International Paper is a global leader in the paper and packaging industry and supplies a wide range of products that people rely on every day. The company produces uncoated papers and industrial and consumer packaging. Key brands for graphic artists include Accent Opaque, Carolina Coated Cover, Hammermill, Springhill and Williamsburg. It also offers printing, packaging, graphic arts, maintenance and industrial products through xpedx, its North American distribution business. IP partners with customers and environmental, academic, civic and governmental organizations, as well as landowners and harvesting professionals, to encourage responsible forest stewardship, improve the health and productivity of forestlands, and increase recovery of recyclable products.
www.internationalpaper.com

MOHAWK

Mohawk is a major manufacturer of fine papers, envelopes and specialty substrates for commercial and digital printing. With a proud history of growth going back four generations, the company is investing in the future, and is well positioned to continue its expansion into businesses and markets beyond paper manufacturing. The papers they produce include the venerable Mohawk and Strathmore brands, and the entire product line has recently been streamlined and simplified. The company also has a significant presence in Digital Papers and in the envelope conversion market. Being part of an industry that depends heavily on energy, water, and other natural resources, Mohawk has embraced the concept of extended stewardship. From simple activities like desk-side recycling to complex decisions about manufacturing techniques, energy choices and vendor selection, nothing is left unexamined. States the company:“In short, we accept our responsibility to protect the natural resources and processes that sustain our business and our lives, and convey that commitment to all of our stakeholders.”
www.mohawkconnects.com

MONADNOCK PAPER MILLS

Founded in 1819 and based in Bennington NH, Monadnock Paper Mills works with the world’s leading brands and designers to craft and customize environmentally responsible performance papers for commercial printing, packaging and technical applications. Monadnock is committed to responsible environmental stewardship and maintains that fiber-based alternatives to plastic can be cost-efficient, environmentally sensitive, and beautiful. Monadnock’s Envi Portfolio provides eco-savvy brand owners and designers with high-quality,fiber-based branding and packaging solutions for a variety of markets including retail and hospitality. All Monadnock printing and packaging papers are manufactured carbon neutral, made using 100% renewable electricity, under a third-party certified ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management System and carry the FSC logo ‒ the mark of responsible forestry.
www.mpm.com

NEENAH PAPER

For more than 100 years, Neenah Paper has been an innovative leader in the creation and manufacturing of premium, specialty and sustainable papers. The Neenah signature portfolio includes market leading brands such as CLASSIC®, ENVIRONMENT® and CRANE® Papers, and in 2012 the company added ASTROBRIGHT® and combined SUNDANCE® Papers with ROYAL Brands to form the new ROYAL SUNDANCE™ Paper Collection. The company also produces envelopes in thousands of styles. Neenah is committed to developing relevant mobile and online technologies including the Neenah Paper Cabinet™ for Desktop tool and the new Neenah Cabinet™ for iPad app, placing online swatchbooks, paper colors and more right at a designers’ fingertips. With multiple manufacturing facilities in Wisconsin, prime importance is also placed on recycled and alternative fiber products through the Neenah Green initiative. Last but not least, Neenah Paper is exclusive sponsor of GDUSA’s American Package Design Awards, which help call attention to its outstanding package and label paper offerings.
www.neenahpaper.com

NEWPAGE

NewPage is a leading producer of printing and specialty papers in North America. Headquartered in Miamisburg, Ohio, NewPage owns paper mills in Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. All NewPage mills have implemented chain-of-custody systems, which are third-party certified to FSC, SFI and PEFC standards. The lands NewPage owns and manages are also third-party certified to multiple forest management standards. The company’s product portfolio is the broadest in North America and includes coated, specialty, supercalendered and uncoated papers. These papers are used in commercial printing to create corporate collateral, magazines, catalogs, books, coupons, inserts and direct mail as well as in specialty paper applications including beverage bottle labels, food and medical packaging, pressure-sensitive labels and release liners. Among the popular designer and printer grades are: Sterling® Premium, Arbor Plus® and Productolith® Pts.
www.newpagecorp.com

SAPPI

Sappi Fine Paper North America is a preeminent North American producer of coated fine paper used in premium magazines, catalogs, books and high-end print advertising. Headquartered in Boston MA, its brand names include McCoy, Opus, Somerset and Flo. Sappi’s mills in North America are triple chain of custody certified by the FSC, SFI and PEFC. Over 80% of the energy used by Sappi’s North American mills comes from renewable resources, resulting in a low carbon footprint. Sappi Fine Paper North America is a division of Sappi Limited (NYSE and JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa.
www.sappi.com/na

TEMBEC PAPER

For graphic artists, Tembec Paper Group produces Kallima® FSC Certified Coated Cover paperboard products. The recent development of an even bluer-white shade has proven very popular because it translates into important benefits to commercial print, graphic design and end-user customers with a greater scope of projects and applications: richer, vibrant colors and superior print gloss performance. In addition to being a leading advocate of sustainability, the company has the know-how to back it up: Kallima Paper has a low-density, high-bulk construction resulting in less trees used and significant cost savings to the customer. The company is excellent at teaching and entertaining specifiers and buyers. A popular blog, Kallima Storyboard, shares stories about papermaking, printing and design, environmental responsibility and more. And the new “must-have” 2013 Kallima Calendar has arrived, printed on FSC-certified Kallima Coated Cover C2S in four color process with 200 line screen using inks that contain vegetable oil, and finished with strikethrough dull and gloss coating.
www.kallimapaper.com

UNISOURCE

Unisource Worldwide, a leading distributor of paper, packaging and facility supplies in North America, has many ongoing programs aimed at supporting the graphic arts community and promoting print as an effective means of communication. Its allegiance to the design disciplines is evident in its ongoing support of corporate sustainability and environmental responsibility. As the first paper distributor to attain national Chain-of-Custody certification of FSC, SFI, and PEFC, Unisource provides an expanding selection of environmentally-friendly paper products through certified distribution centers and company-owned stores. Customers can keep up with Unisource’s latest paper offerings by visiting the Unisourcegreen website specifically targeted to the design and print community. At the site, there is the useful Unisourcegreenfinder online search tool as well as eco-calculators, videos, green news, links and other resources.
www.unisourcegreen.com

VERSO

Based in Memphis TN, Verso Paper Corporation is a leading North American producer of coated papers, including coated groundwood and coated freesheet, and specialty products. Verso’s paper products are used primarily in media and marketing applications, including magazines, catalogs and commercial printing applications such as high-end advertising brochures, annual reports and direct mail advertising. Company officials state: “At Verso our focus is simple: Do what is right, maintain a balance between environmental, financial and social responsibilities and ensure that we continually improve our ability to creatively solve customer problems with products and services that exceed expectations.” GDUSA is proud to note that Verso Paper is a major sponsor of our upcoming 50th Anniversary Print Design reader survey on the state (and future) of print and paper.
www.versopaper.com

XPEDX

xpedx is the world’s largest distributor of printing papers, graphic supplies and equipment by revenue and volume. Customers include commercial printers and publishers, manufacturers, retailers, facility managers, U.S. government agencies and companies across many industry segments. Creative professionals are an important market segment for xpedx, and the company strives, through its merchant division and retail stores, to provide designers with the tools and expertise they need to grow professionally and to make their workday easier. Sustainability and stewardship are high priorities: the company has set ambitious Sustainability Targets including substantial increases in recycling and of the use of Chain of Custody certified papers. An important xpedx offering for designers and printers is Endurance, a double coated sheet with a smooth, uniform print surface; it comes in Gloss or Silk and in a variety of text and cover weights.
www.xpedx.com

YUPO

More than forty years ago, Yupo Corporation embarked on a journey to create a variety of grades of synthetic paper that would stand out among competitors. Through extensive research and development, Yupo has become a global leader in the production of 100% recyclable, tear- and chemical-resistant synthetic papers and in satisfying the growing demand for its applications in the print, design and packaging worlds. Currently, the largest manufacturer of synthetic papers in the Western Hemisphere, YUPO Synthetic Paper is manufactured in a 160,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility located in Chesapeake VA. Available grades include YUPO Original, YUPO Accel, YUPO Blue, and YUPO Translucent. The company also presents the Wally Awards, a popular annual design competition for work printed on its products. The 2013 contest is open for entries now and culminates at the HOW Conference in June. The 2012 winners are a “must see:” Best Design Entry ‒ Set Sail Challenge by Tom Moe of Daily Printing, Plymouth MN; Best Package Entry ‒ Home Depot Plant Marker Gift Card Carrier by Jeff Sproat of Jet Printing, Downers Grove IL; and Best Artist Entry ‒ Nirmal Singh of Florida, Family Cruising.
www.yupousa.com

associations + conferences

AIGA

AIGA is the professional association for design, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing design as a professional craft, strategic tool and vital cultural force. Founded in 1914, AIGA today serves more than 22,000 members through 66 chapters and 200 student groups throughout the United States. AIGA stimulates thinking about design, demonstrates the value of design and empowers the success of designers at each stage of their careers. Ric Grefé is the CEO of AIGA. He has been at AIGA since 1995, developing programs that reinforce the relevance of design as an extraordinary creative gift and a critical element of business strategy.
www.aiga.org

ART DIRECTORS CLUB

The Art Directors Club is a premier organization for integrated media and the first international creative collective of its kind. Founded in New York in 1920, ADC is a not-for-profit membership organization whose mission is to “Connect, Provoke and Elevate” world-changing ideas. It focuses on the highest standards of excellence and integrity in visual communications for the industry, and encourages students and young professionals entering the field. ADC provides a forum for creatives in advertising, design, interactive media and communications. Ignacio Oreamuno, President and Founder of IHAVEANIDEA, Portfolio Night and the Tomorrow Awards, has joined the organization as its youngest-ever Executive Director.
www.adcglobal.org

APDF

Founded in 1985, the Association of Professional Design Firms is comprised of leading firms that consult in the use of design to help drive innovation and strategic business success. Member firms represent a diverse collection of design skill sets including identity, experience, environmental, branding, packaging, interactive, product, engineering and industrial design. APDF emphasizes design as a business and provides a forum for leaders to grow their business skills and businesses through education, interaction and collaboration. The mission: to elevate the standards of professional business practices, as well as to gain greater recognition for the role the design consultant plays in achieving the goals of business and society.
www.apdf.org

CHOOSE PRINT (PIASC)

In January 2011, Printing Industries Association of Southern California launched its Choose Print campaign to promote the effectiveness and environmental credentials of print on paper. Since then, Choose Print has spread nationwide, with the support of Printing Industries of America (PIA) and its regional affiliate associations. Choose Print has an exciting story to tell ‒ a story of print’s resilience which can be traced to its unique qualities: It is enduring, versatile, credible, inviting, popular, beautiful, personalizable, recyclable, and renewable. The hub of the campaign is the Choose Print website, which acts as a clearinghouse which brings together recent research and links to credible websites that tell the story about the marketing power and environmental record of print. The campaign also includes direct mail, printed brochures, reprintable articles, news releases, YouTube videos, social media, and vehicle wraps. A prominent feature has been a bi-monthly postcard mailed to 18,000 ad agencies, graphic designers and corporate marketers throughout the country. Each postcard presents facts on different print media, and also has a QR code which takes the reader to a video reinforcing the message on the card.
www.chooseprint.org

COLOR MARKETING GROUP

Color Marketing Group is an international association for color design professionals. The mission is to create color forecast information for professionals who design and market color. Headquartered in Alexandria VA, CMG consists of 1,000 color experts from a broad cross-section of industries worldwide. They follow and report on trends and developments in all industries. They conference together in a dynamic forum that promotes the exchange of broad color marketing information and provides vital reportage on color news across industries. Ultimately, they produce trustworthy color forecasts their companies can rely upon to make color decisions.
www.colormarketing.org

DMI

The Design Management Institute seeks to connect design to business, to culture, to customers ‒ to the changing world. Its mission is to brings together educators, researchers, designers, and leaders from every design discipline and industry, and to encourage design that delivers competitive advantage. Over the decades, DMI has been a place where “the world’s most experienced, creative, and ambitious design leaders gather to share, distill, and amplify their knowledge.”
www.dmi.org

GLM

GLM creates face-to-face and online buying, selling and networking platforms for designers, product developers, manufacturers, reps, retailers and operators through tradeshow and event production, online community development and association management. With more than 100 employees, GLM currently produces shows serving industries as diverse as giftware, home furnishings, social stationery, home textiles, tabletop, gourmet housewares, contemporary furniture, personal care, art and design, and hospitality. Coming up for graphic designers: the Surtex show offers art and design for sale or license to numerous major industries. It is scheduled in 2013 for May 19-21 and is co-located with GLM’s National Stationery Show. Of the Surtex show, VP Penny Sikalis states: “The top-notch talent in the international design world ‒ textile designers, illustrators, graphic designers, art brands and fine artists, among others ‒ plan to exhibit at SURTEX. It is the one trade show where they know more than 6,000 representatives of manufacturers and retailers from 46 countries across the globe come to seek out the latest ideas for products for their consumer and institutional markets.”
www.glmshows.com and www.surtex.com

GRAPHIC ARTS SHOW COMPANY

Setting the pace for printing and related tradeshows, the Graphic Arts Show Company operates first-rate events that serve the print, package, and, with increasing emphasis, the design community. “The Show Company” was formed in 1982 by three leading industry associations, the NAPL, the NPES and PIA. GASC’s mission is to provide an effective forum through shows and conferences to meet the marketing requirements of the graphic communications and converting industries. GASC brings the industry’s buyers and sellers together in the most cost-effective way. A major event planned for GDUSA readers this year: PRINT 13 is the largest and most innovative global exhibition of digital, offset and hybrid technologies of the year. Here, across the expansive show floor in McCormick Place, Chicago, attendees will come to explore demonstrations of the latest technologies, unique new applications, and products and services for every key facet of the graphic communications industry.
www.gasc.org

HOW/F + W PUBLISHING

The popular HOW Design Live, sponsored by the F + W Publications magazine of the same name, is a multi-level conference that includes the traditional HOW Design Conference, plus the InHOWse Managers Conference, the Creative Freelancer Conference and The Dieline Package Design Conference. This year it takes place in San Francisco from June 22-26. The tagline is “Rediscover Inspiration,” and who doesn’t need that.
www.howdesign.com

INSOURCE

InSource aspires to be the global network for inhouse creative business leaders connected by common professional experiences, knowledge and best practices. The organization focuses on providing a platform to share best practices, encourage one another in our careers and enhance the value our teams add to their organizations and brands. InSource offers its members relevant information online in addition to roundtable discussions and events on topics relating to real-life, in-house creative and branding challenges. Paula Scher recently shared her expertise with the group and, coming in April, an evening with the incomparable Massimo Vignelli.
www.in-source.org

PAF

The Printing Association of Florida (PAF) is a trade association for the printing and graphic arts industry in Florida. It is a member-driven organization serving the needs of Florida's graphic arts companies since 1937. It also sponsors the 38 year-old Graphics of the Americas tradeshow, one of the printing industry’s largest, annual combined exposition and education events in the U.S. The 2013 event will be held February 21-23, 2013 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando FL. With worldwide attendance, GOA is a unique event that attracts an average audience of 9,800 printers, designers, and creative professionals from over 90 countries (60% U.S.) The diverse attendance provides international networking at its best.
www.goa2013.com

SEGD

Society for Environmental Graphic Design is the global community of people working at the intersection of communication design and the built environment. In pursuit of its mission, the association aspires to: promote public awareness of our community and its role in shaping experience; nurture demand for design excellence within the built environment; serve as a source of education and inspiration for our community; continue to define and refine standards of practice; foster relevant research; sponsor peer recognition programs that inspire excellence; promote collaboration across multiple design disciplines; and strengthen ties with educational programs that provide the academic underpinnings of the field.
www.segd.org

TYPE DIRECTORS CLUB

The Type Directors Club supports excellence in typography, both in print and on screen. Founded in 1946 by some of the industry’s leading practitioners, the TDC’s earliest membership included Aaron Burns, Will Burtin, Freeman Craw, Louis Dorfsman, Gene Federico, Edward M. Gottschall, Herb Lubalin, Edward Rondthaler, Bradbury Thompson, and Hermann Zapf. TDC today represents the best of today’s type design and type use. The TDC holds two yearly competitions, and its educational efforts have always been an important part of the Club’s mission. The TDC began offering lectures in 1947, and current lecture and class schedules offered by the TDC continues apace. The TDC is the home for typography ‒ a physical meeting place and a strong professional affiliation.
www.tdc.org

VISUAL CONNECTIONS

Visual Connections organizes the only events of the kind in the United States, bringing together buyers and suppliers of photography, illustration, footage and fonts in city center locations. Formerly known as Picturehouse Marketing US, the name and identity change reflect involvement in connecting suppliers and users of all visual media. The events are intimate and the perfect place for buyers to discover great new imagery and design elements, and mingle with the people who matter. Their website includes Infozone, a one-stop source of information on all aspects of licensing images for commercial use. Events regularly take place in New York and Chicago, and a May 2013 show in Toronto is planned.The organizers are major supporters of the Young Photographers Alliance.
www.visualconnections.com