The Pickle Ship, an artisan printing and stamping company specializing in high-quality letterpress printing, foil stamping, embossing and die cutting, was launched today by Graphcon, Inc., an Orchard Park-based printing services company.
The Pickle Ship and Graphcon are owned and operated by brothers DJ and Matt Schutt.
“In this digital age where media is often produced at the push of a button, we are resurrecting the craftsmanship associated with printing,” said Matt Schutt. “Being a third-generation artisan print shop and having learned the business from our father, we respect the time-honored printing techniques handed down from generation to generation.”
“Our company was originally founded as a letterpress printing shop, and we proudly continue to offer this service for clients who require the quality associated with this very specialized craft,” added DJ Schutt. “We have found that letterpress, coupled with other treatments we offer, results in some very impressive pieces. Each piece we create for a client — whether it’s a complicated piece for corporate use or a beautiful wedding invitation — is a unique piece of art.”
Letterpress printing, once thought to be obsolete, has seen a resurgence as a high-demand, high-quality form of craft printing. The process was first perfected by John Gutenberg in the 1400s and incorporated movable wood type and engravings to physically press ink into paper. It is this impression, coupled with high-quality paper (such as high cotton content), that give a unique look and feel.
Foil stamping is achieved when a stamping die is mounted, heated and pressed against the foil to bind it to the end product. Foil stamping, by itself, does not produce a raised image, but is often combined with embossing for a truly remarkable look.
Embossing is most commonly used on pieces like pocket folders, business cards, stationery, promotional pieces and covers. It can be used by itself to create a blind emboss, or combined with printing or foil stamping to help make certain areas of the piece literally stand out.
Die cutting is another specialty of The Pickle Ship. With over 30 years of expertise, the Schutt’s make most of their dies in-house, which saves cost and production time.
The Pickle Ship is located at 168 Thorn Ave. in Orchard Park. For more information, please call (716) 667-7377, email info@thepickleship.com or visit www.thepickleship.com. You can also follow The Pickle Ship on Facebook for frequent updates.