M&W Design Co, a sustainable souvenir and gift manufacturer, has launched a new product in their Home/Gift division, “ThinPrints,” a trendy home decor sign that is “thin enough to hang, wide enough to sit, and fun enough to show off.” The unique signs are made of furniture-grade wood and provide a versatile and sustainable option in the home decor market.
The brand’s reentry into the home decor space comes at a poignant time as consumers demand sustainable solutions. The new brand brings the values of M&W Design, a prominent vendor in the souvenir space, to the home and gift market and is one of the few B Corp-certified companies in this space that is also made in the U.S. The ThinPrints signs have various categories which cover family, work, fun, sarcasm and holiday.
“We have a lot of fun bringing these words to life with our designs,” said Mike Whalen, founder of M&W Design. “Not only do some of these pull at your heartstrings, make you laugh, or radiate positivity, but in some instances also say out loud what others are thinking.”
In addition to being sustainable, each product in the new line is designed to be “unique and memorable,” the company said, “making them perfect for gift shops, souvenir stores, boutiques and many other retail locations.” The versatility of the signs, which can be hung as wall decor or set down as stand-alone shelf sitters, was key to its design.
“We spoke to the marketplace and listened to the fact they were asking for a product which could be put in multiple places, including tight areas other products are not able to fit,” said Alec Carr, business development director at M&W Design. “It is invigorating to provide a solution to the marketplace while also bringing awareness to B Corps with a sustainable solution for the home & gift market.”
Spark of Sustainability
Mike Whalen, founder of M&W Design Co, spent years in the scrap metal industry, witnessing firsthand the power of recycling and reusing. Whalen said that experience “ignited a desire in him to create something meaningful, something that resonates with the values of sustainability and stands the test of time.”
Combining art, travel and sustainability, he set out to shake up the souvenir and gift space and founded M&W Design in 2018. M&W Design’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond its products. According to the company, it is currently the only Certified B Corporation in both the souvenir and home markets with products made only in the U.S.
Certified B Corps are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. In addition to this certification, part of M&W Design’s mission is their support for OneTreePlanted.org and Water.org. Products purchased from M&W Design have a direct donation back to these organizations.
“As our brand grows, we continue to expand into new categories in which we feel we can make a difference,” Whalen said. “Being able to make a product here in the USA and do it sustainably, while also being competitive, energizes us. We’re excited to push the envelope and create products that bring awareness to consumers. Products such as ThinPrints show that being diligent, listening to the marketplace, and being creative, show what is possible. We look forward to being different from other traditional companies and creating change in the industries we evolve into.”
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