The Colorplan system is sweeping the industry with high-profile paper evangelist, Jutta Birkenhauer, drawing sizeable groups of printers and designers during her ‘Spread the Love’ tour of Sydney and Brisbane.
Following up on her inaugural tour last year that saw similar attendance in Melbourne and Sydney, the quirky presenter again showcased the comprehensive G.F. smith Colorplan system of speciality papers to the local industry. Comprising 50 colours, 25 embossings across eight weights, the collection of striking paper has proved to be a graphic arts phenomenon since the UK paper merchant took it global two years ago.
Since then it’s been taken up by high-end global brands looking to replicate the same look and feel in brochures, packaging and invitations around the world. With local merchant BJ Ball promoting the paper brand in Australia and New Zealand, Birkenhauer’s tours have proved a popular drawcard.
“I’m here to spread the love,” she said. “Colorplan is a community of people who love paper and printing. I’m in Australia talking to designers and printers about what is trending around the world, what colours are being taken up by the leading fashion brands.”
She quotes names such as Burberry and Prada, predicting that the Colorplan ‘High Octane’ shades of red will be all the rage next year. How much enthusiasm can be generated by a paper collection is a moot point but there appears little doubt that she is completely rapt by the unique Colorplan system. Her enthusiasm is infectious.
Founded by the Hull-based paper merchant in 1936 when it commissioned the James Cropper mill in the Lake District to produce the inaugural ‘Baghdad Brown’ coloured sheets, the collection has grown to where Birkenhauer claims it is unique in its scope and complexity. It’s a technically superior paper with good light fastness, scruff resistance and folding qualities.
Selling as little as 25 sheets a time in the UK (here it’s a single ream) Colorplan is described as an ‘upper middle class’ paper, text and cover stock, not too expensive but certainly not cheap.
According to Tony Bertrand, BJ Ball, it’s been enthusiastically adopted by the local design and print sectors. He predicts a colourful future for the stock.