We were lucky to catch up with Libby Hampel recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Libby thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

I wanted my business name to be one word and it had to have meaning. Giving is really important to me and that’s what my business is about. I’m fascinated with language and what words are in other languages. I started searching for what “giving” or “to give” was in other languages. I came across a website that explained there are two words for giving in Japanese, agemasu and kuremasu. Agemasu is used when you are giving to someone. Kuremasu is used when someone is giving to you. When I read this, I instantly knew MASU was it because it met my criteria. We give people beautiful, thoughtful paper goods so they can give beautiful thoughtful gifts.

Libby, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

In March 2020 I was beginning to look for licensing and freelance clients for my surface pattern designs. COVID happened and that well dried up. From August 2020 to March 2022 I worked for a small business that designs, sources, and fulfills orders for their products. Working there made me realize I wanted to have my own products with my designs. I wanted my designs to be on products I cared about and knew where & how they were being made. Paper goods were a natural choice for me because I’ve always loved & used paper. Drawing, making handmade boxes & books, and designing & creating paper jewelry are the major ways paper has been in my life. I made a list of paper goods that interested me and started with wrapping paper because I had a hard time finding gift wrap that was 100% recycled, recyclable, made in America, and had great designs. You can find 1-2 of those qualities in wrapping paper, but 3-4 are rare. At the beginning of 2021, I started my journey to bring MASU to life. Not only did I want the products to meet my values, but it was also equally important that my values permeate the whole business. That meant the marketing materials, packaging, and shipping materials also had to be recycled, recyclable, American-made, and plastic free. Even our shipping labels are eco-friendly! The labels I use have a liner that’s recycled and recyclable. Most liners contain silicone so they can’t be recycled. I’m also really proud that our wrapping paper is the only premium coated, 100% recycled sheet made in America. Everything I source is thoroughly researched. When I can’t find packaging that meets my criteria, I design it and make it with materials that meet my criteria. While vinyl stickers are super popular, you will never find them at MASU. Purpose over popularity is one of my mottos. If I can create a popular product that meets my values, great. If I can’t, it’s not happening. MASU started as a values-driven business and ALWAYS will be. One popular product I just launched, that does meet my values, is greeting cards. There are 30 designs, with 25 of them matching the wrapping paper and 5 standing alone. I’m also working on gift tags, envelope seals, and a wall calendar. Art prints, notepads, and notebooks are also on my mind. Whatever products I create in the future, you can be sure they’ll meet my values and be playful, thoughtful, and bold.

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

The company that prints the wrapping paper and greeting cards was recommended by someone I know and they have turned out to be wonderful. It’s also a bonus that they are only an hour and forty-five minutes from me. From the research I had done on printing, I knew that I wanted the paper to be printed on an HP Indigo press. It produces beautiful results and is perfect for smaller printing runs. Not every printing company has one, so I’m fortunate the printer recommended to me does. From having samples printed on other presses, I’ve learned the type of press and toner makes a difference. Using specialty papers presents challenges. It can be difficult to get the paper because I have to find a distributor who can get it and the mill has to have it in stock. Some paper mills, like the one that makes my papers, don’t allow you to buy directly from them, you have to go through a distributor. Purchasing the paper myself from the distributor and having it shipped to the printer is more cost-effective. I’ve also learned that I have to buy enough paper to allow for “spoilage.” Spoilage allows for printing and finishing errors that occur. So if I buy 800 sheets, about 140 of those will be allotted for “spoilage.” When you care about what your products are made of and how they are made, it takes more time, money, and patience (lol), but I’m willing to pay literal and figurative prices to have products that look, feel, and do good.

We’d love to hear your thoughts about selling platforms like Amazon/Etsy vs selling on your own site.

I sell online through my own website that’s through Shopify. While I have an Etsy shop, I’m really bad about maintaining it. I have no desire to be on Amazon. I learned about Shopify when I worked for the small business. Shopify is specifically for e-commerce so the features and tools are really good. You can get nickeled and dimed by the apps with Shopify so just be aware of what it will and won’t do natively. I highly recommend taking your time to research the different website themes. Investing in a good theme is worth it. When choosing mine, I made a list of all the themes I liked at a glance and went back to dig into the details. For themes and apps, really read the reviews. Look for reviews that review the functions and how good or bad the support is. One of my favorite features is the Shopify POS app because you can sell products in person and inventory is automatically deducted. I’ve never used any other e-commerce platform, so I can’t speak to how Shopify compares to others. Overall, I’m really happy with Shopify so I’m going to keep using it.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.givemasu.com
• Instagram: givemasu
• Facebook: givemasu
• Linkedin: libbyhampel
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@givemasu

Image Credits
Wrapping paper photos by Natalie Lasley Social Marketing. Greeting card photos by MASU.