Winnipeg's own Botanical Paperworks

We've mentioned seed paper in the past, but when we stumbled across Botanical Paperworks out of Winnipeg, we knew we had found seed paper heaven. We're big fans of their cleanly-designed greeting cards - once planted, they certainly qualify as the gift that keeps on giving! We also love the Write & Grow journals!

Tattoo art for CSC from last year's forecast

I just read Mark's post regarding Paula Herr's presentation (Connect2One) at the CSC show and noted that she called out Tattoo Prints on hoodies. For those of you who remember the CRU forecast from last year's presentation, we mentioned that we foresaw tattoo & grafitti prints gaining in importance for fall 08 and had even created an exclusive tattoo print for members of CSC to use at will (above).

Printed Binders from Semikolon

We're big fans of the printed binders from Semikolon. While printed binders aren't necessarily new for them, we do appreciate how this particular group of binders demonstrates many of the color ways and patterns we spoke about as "coming trends" a few seasons back.

Semikolon's website is in dire need of updating, but the Montreal offices can be easily reached at 514 286 2880.

CSCEx 2009 Highlight - What's Hot

Below are some screen shots from the presentation by Paula Haerr, Associate Executive Director of Connect2One at the recently held CSCEx 2009 in Toronto about What's Hot.

Of course, this is just a small selection of Paula's great presentation.

Ninja Star tacks

For all you wannabe ninjas out there (yes, we know you exist in droves), the Ninja Star thumb tacks by uberly clever Canadian brand Chromly can safely substitute for the real deal. At $12 retail for a pack of only three, you'll have the coolest cork board in town.

Eco Writing Tools

Ever meet a person who is obsessed with office supplies? We recently met TWO such individuals at a Vegas trade show who were only too happy to identify a few of their latest loves of writing utensils. While many were pricey (hello, Mont Blanc?), one suggestion did get us paying attention:

Earthzone (a Canadian company) makes pencils from 100% recycled newspaper...we've been assured by these pen-enthusiasts that the recycled content actually makes the product a better writing tool - easier to sharpen and offers a smoother "flow". The Earthzone website is under construction but you can send them an emailing info@earthzone.ca

Of course, the Earthzone pencils are quite similar to the eco Smencils we have spoken about in the past. They are also made from 100% recycled newspaper, but these of course come in fresh smelling scents that aim to make note-taking a tad more pleasurable. Yes, they are marketed to kids, but young adults are fans too.

All this talk about eco writing tools got us thinking - what else is out there? Et voila, just like that we stumbled upon a whole website devoted to Eco Friendly Pens. Based in California, TrailBlazer Promotions offers more than 50 styles of eco-pens - from recycled to bio-plastic to wood, and beyond. To view their website, click HERE.

Luggage Tags by Flight 001

Let's face it, 85-90% of all luggage you see on a baggage carousel is black. That's why we're big fans of the stylish and quirky luggage tags by Flight 001. Ranging in price from $4 (sale) to $17, these adorable tags make it easy to pick your black pieces out of the masses!

University of Manitoba Valentine's Day Display

Hello everyone and Happy Valentines Day from the University of Manitoba BookStore!
This is my first attempt at a blog post and I wanted to share the selection of items we have for Valentines Day, and our POP display.

Limited Edition Tees by Public Library offer great inspiration for campus bookstores

We chose to show and discuss these tees NOT because they are limited edition. Not because they come from cult label Public Library. Nope, not even because they have cool graphics. We chose to show and discuss these tees because they are intended to raise awareness. Proceeds of the 3 styles of t-shirts go towards The Samburu Project, a not-for-profit organization that aids citizens in developing countries. Profits of these particular shirts go towards the water crisis in Kenya.

These t-shirts are a great example of something college & university bookstores could do to move product and engage the student consumers on campus. Why not hold a t-shirt design competition open to the students? For example: Ask students to submit suggestions for charity or eco organizations they wish to help (they are among one of the most eco-conscious age groups in the market). Select a winning charity. Then hold a graphic design competition open to all students. Select three winners and make short runs of their graphic designs on a few basic t-shirt styles and donate a portion of the profits to the charity chosen. Draw attention to the event by giving away a few t-shirts in-store with appearances made by the student designers. Tell the story of the design competition on hang-tags and in-store displays. Collaborate with the student newspaper or blogs.

Kate Grenier magnets

Our staffers went crazy over these fridge magnets made from recycled bottle caps by artist Kate Grenier of Portland Oregon. The magnets are sold separately, but we have a crush on the themed packages of six.

GreenHouse earbuds

A few months ago we showed some very "girl-friendly" earbuds the resembled jewelry by Elcom, and promised more masculine earbuds to follow. The new snake and spiderweb buds by GreenHouse in Japan are great for dudes who are a bit punk at heart.