Papergang is a monthly stationery subscription box from quirky UK design team, Ohh Deer. Each month they partner with a different artist and have a theme to bring you paper goods and desk accessories.
The packaging always makes my spine tingle! It's designed by the featured artist each month and offers an exciting intro to what's inside. July's artist is illustrator John Bond, who is a professional dog doodler and quirk-infuser.
The flip side of the box typically features a cutout craft by Daniel Randle, and I've officially decided I'm going to hold off on making these crafts until I can get my hand on a sharper pair of scissors. I consider myself a pretty crafty gal, but somehow I tend to botch these crafts and I just can't bear to dishonor Mr. Randle's work in that way. So, you'll have to use your imagination for this airplane offering!
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
About Papergang
The Subscription Box: Papergang
The Cost: About $12.83 USD (10.95 GBP) + shipping.
Coupons: Buy a 3-month subscription and save 50% off your first box, no code required, just link here! You can also get a free box with a 6-month subscription or 2 free boxes with a 12-month subscription!
The Products: Each month you'll receive a box full of papery goodness. The product selection will vary, however, it will include the likes of greeting cards, notebooks, desk accessories, and art prints.
Ships to: the US and Canada for $5.80 USD (£4.95), UK for $3.86 USD, Australia for $7.79 USD, and Worldwide (shipping costs vary).
Good to know: Papergang partners with Tree Aid to make sure that for every four boxes they sell, one tree gets planted in the African Drylands, which helps with vital food and income.
Papergang July 2018 Review
Papergang includes a fun little info booklet each month that matches the box and theme of the contents! Shall we take a look?
Open the booklet and you’ll find the contents of this box (Box #29). There's also a nice little intro to John Bond, who Ohh Deer (the peeps that bring us Papergang) has worked with in the past to bring those Mr. Men and Little Miss paper goods you may know and love.
These pages feature an interview with John Bond. He talks about his creative balance, his inspiration (it's everywhere!), and his past work at an agency. He ends with a tip on taking the leap into the freelance employment world!
This next spread features a few Ohh Deer products that scream summertime, as well as a li'l checklist of essentials to bring with you on vacay.
On the back cover is an ad that might look familiar to Papergang subscribers! Find out more info about their referral program at papergang.ohhdeer.com/faq.
A5 Travel Journal - Listed Value About $15.17 USD (£12.95)
Who's got travel plans this summer? Definitely, 100% bring this notebook along. You should be bringing a notebook along anyway, but if you haven't before, here's your chance. In addition to the fact that olive green is my all-time favorite color, I'm here for the adorable compass illustration on the front cover and the elastic band to keep it closed.
How amazing is this illustration on the inside cover? My favorite part is that there's a scale, which is of course totally not realistic but is a fantastic touch. Lots of modes of transportation pop up throughout this map, plus some travelin' animals that you'll see appear on items we'll explore later.
My husband and I started a "miles traversed" notebook last summer after our first backpacking trip, specifically to document our on-foot adventures. We thought it'd be cool to look back years down the line and see some of our early outings, how we organized our days in nature, and how our planning evolved as we became more experienced. This notebook sets you up for a very similar concept with its lines for the date, location, and prompt to write about your day. Opposite all that is a blank page inviting illustrations (or additional writing if that's more your style). I went through a passionate Venn diagram phase in an old notebook that I carry around in my purse, and I can sense a revival coming on inspired by this new journal's blank pages.
3 Postcards - Listed Value About $2.64 USD (£2.25)
Some of the same animal characters from the notebook's map appear on these three postcards. I'll show you each one individually...
Paris! Vive la baguette: AGREED. It's kind of funny to me to think about sending a postcard from a city that I'm not visiting, and it's even weirder to consider bringing this postcard along with me to send were I ever to go to Paris. So you have to have some loose postcard-sending rules to really appreciate this set, or you could not send them and display them as art. I can't decide which I'll do...I think any friend I might send a random "Hey, what's up" postcard to would appreciate the quirkiness of it all, but then again if I hang onto them, I'll get to smile at their amazing cat/dog/bear trio anytime I wish. It's a real predicament!
Here's a New York one where the crew is hangin' out at the 'Catue' of Liberty.
Finally, Rome. Check out how long that dog got!
This is what the back of all 3 look like—pretty simple.
Aeroplane Paperclips - Retail Value About $4.63 USD (£3.95)
Those who have been craving a little something different in their Papergang box might be excited to find these airplane-shaped paper clips! They're super sturdy and generally extremely adorable. I'm not sure what the box is talkin' about with its "5 silver paperclips" info line—I had 20 in my box!
Giftwrap - Estimated Value $2.05 (£1.75)
I was so amped to receive amazingly designed wrapping paper in June's box and am just as thrilled about it for July. Among my friends and family, there are a ton of late July and August birthdays. I have so much fun wrapping gifts in personality-filled ways, so I'm excited to decide who will receive their birthday goodies wrapped in the travel icons on this gift wrap. The best part is, most of my loved ones are the types who gently unwrap gifts so they can save and reuse the packaging, so I know this sheet won't just be junked after one use!
Bonus: September Calendar Card
Here's that familiar cat, dog, and bear making one last appearance on the September riso calendar. Papergang typically includes these little calendar cards for several months in advance, which I love for planning ahead!
Verdict: I'm really satisfied with the July Papergang box! I feel like the recurring animals throughout John Bond's designs are my friends now, and I can't wait to see what kinds of adventures they'll go on as I put my July items to use. I received a travel journal, 3 postcards, airplane-shaped paperclips, a sheet of gift wrap, and a bonus calendar card, which added up to about $24.49 USD. This month, I re-calculated this box's cost for this month based on the latest currency exchange, and it totals about $18.63 for the subscription and shipping combined. So, this month's box is a better-than-normal value!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes, as of the publish date of this review, the July box is still available! Check this helpful ship date guide to see the order-by date to receive the next few months' boxes.
Coupon - Buy a 3-month subscription and save 50% off your first box, no code required, just link here! You can also get a free box with a 6-month subscription or 2 free boxes with a 12-month subscription!
Value Breakdown: This box costs $12.83 + $5.80 shipping, which means that each of the 6 items in the box (counting the bonus calendar) has an average cost of $3.11.
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Did you like July's Papergang theme as much as I did?
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