I am taking a break from normal fashion and style coverage today to focus on promotional industry pushes for American manufacturing. A few months ago, I wrote about the PHL Made and SF Made campaigns to encourage Americans to sell and purchase locally made goods. It turns out a Cohoes, New York-based industry paper supplier, Mohawk, has a similar movement called the Maker Campaign. I corresponded via email with Bart Robinson, VP, marketing, about the campaign and manufacturing paper in the United States. Here is what he had to say.
On the Mohawk Maker Campaign:
“Mohawk believes ‘making’ is the most fundamental expression of the human spirit, and our new Maker campaign and our ongoing ‘What will you make today?’ campaign speak directly to the heart of the maker community and their need to create. The campaign supports this community of like-minded makers with three new publications: The Mohawk Declaration of Craft, Mohawk Craft Cooperative and Mohawk Maker Quarterly, which feature the stories of printers, designers, manufacturers, artists, artisans, musicians and all those who make their living as makers. The publications are supported by a video underscoring the importance of craftsmanship and collaboration.”
Examples of Mohawk Maker publications
On the response to the Mohawk Maker Campaign:
“The Mohawk Maker Campaign has received a very positive response. The U.S. printing community appreciates the fact that we are touting the importance of materials, pride and craftsmanship, while designers are inspired to use high-quality, tactile papers for campaigns that have recently been overtaken by electronic media. Our message is about taking pride in what you do and being innovative.”
On the 2013 Martha Stewart American Made program:
“We’re very pleased to be a part of the 2013 Martha Stewart American Made events, and to support the many talented makers who practice their craft throughout the U.S. This is the first year of Mohawk’s sponsorship and the second year of the American Made program, which celebrates artists, creative entrepreneurs and small business owners who are powering an economic resurgence in this country.
“Mohawk’s support of American Made aligns closely with our efforts to support the emerging maker movement. Also, Mohawk has taken pride in the art of papermaking for nearly a century. Generations of fine papermakers have honed their craft in our paper mills in upstate New York, and we are endlessly inspired by the artistry of others. So, this partnership is a natural fit.”
On American-made paper products:
“We’ve found that most Americans, when given a choice, prefer to buy local, and support the American economy—whether it is their local farmers market, or the mom-and-pop shop on the downtown corner.
“Our fine paper products are more than competitive with the few fine paper imports and, when given a choice, most people are choosing to buy paper from this 82-year-old, fourth-generation paper maker, Mohawk.”
On the benefit of U.S. manufacturing of paper goods:
“Obviously, with a product like ours (paper), there is a high cost in freight due to the weight of the product. This makes it very difficult for paper manufacturers outside of the U.S. to compete with us. Most imports are commodity papers, which is a market that we do not participate in.”
