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. August's artist is Munich-based Ira Sluyterman Van Langeweyde, aka Iraville. She's here to bring the most wonderfully visceral, give-me-a-sweater-immediately fall vibes. *Cue choir of angels.*
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 squirrel 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 $$14.40 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 $5.77 USD (£4.95), UK for $3.44 USD, Australia for $6.94 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 August 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 #30). There's also a nice little intro to Iraville, who's a total Instagram celeb, and for all the right reasons. Her art is where I would like to live out the rest of my life.
These pages feature an interview with Ira. She tells us her winding story of how she came into her own as a designer and why she's drawn to the themes for which she's so well known.
The interview continues, and Ira talks about her love for fall and her soon-to-be-launched book! Read the rest of the interview and peek at some behind-the-scenes photos of Ira on blog.ohhdeer.com.
This page features a cut-out-able trio of illustration tips from Ira, as well as another shout out to the Ohh Deer blog.
This spread shows some Ohh Deer offerings that might interest those headed back to school! My August box came a little late for back-to-school shopping, but, I mean, when is it not a good time to snag yourself some new office supplies?
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.
A5ish Notebook - Listed Value About $11.61 USD (£9.95)
Hello, autumnal bliss! This beautiful specimen of a notebook features a soft, but sturdy fiber cover that almost has the feel of faux leather to it. It's super nice and durable. I love the little subject plate on the front.
Let me sidetrack for a moment to talk about notebooks. Many of us have agreed that a fresh, new notebook is the tops, but that there is such a thing as too many notebooks and that we wish we could have a month or 2 off from receiving them. I want to go on the record relinquishing that stance! The high volume of really, really nice notebooks I now own thanks to Papergang means that I'm a lot less shy about putting pen to paper on that first page, and I'm now actively using several beautiful new ones that a year ago I might have put on a bookshelf waiting for the perfect moment or occasion on which to use it. But, does that moment even exist? Not really. Like, I'm currently using June's notebook to jot down everything I eat while I'm breastfeeding my daughter (pediatrician's request). Sounds like a silly use for a nice notebook, but it's seriously bringing me so much joy to get to open the pages of that beaut every day! Okay, end rant. Back to this notebook: I love that one side is blank and the other is lined. It welcomes illustrations!
Here's the back: more fall fantasyland. Love!
3 Pencils - Listed Value About $4.61 USD (£3.95)
I am such a fan of a good classic, pencil. I recently received this pencil sharpener in a different sub box that changed the game for me. It sharpens the tip in, like, 2-3 twists of the pencil and hangs onto the shavings. I've been doing a lot of crosswords lately (yes, in pencil, because it would be a total mess if I did it in pen) and there's nothing quite like jotting letters in those little squares with a freshly sharpened pencil.
Washi Tape - Retail Value About $2.92 USD (£2.50)
Papergang includes washi tape in their boxes with some regularity. I love it because it's adorable, but quite honestly I don't use it all that often. Sometimes to leave notes for my husband, but that's about it. If you search on Pinterest, you'll see endless creative ideas for washi tape DIYs, I just haven't taken the time to try any of them yet!
Greeting Card - Estimated Value $2.92 (£2.50)
Remember how I said I'd like to live in Iraville's art for the rest of my life? Well, this shall be my house. I tip my hat to the amazing design on the front of this blank card—its use of negative space to create a greenhouse-looking situation is just so good. I shall choose wisely who to mail this one to!
Bonus: September Calendar Card
This month's riso calendar features October decorated with blue tone trees. Papergang typically includes these little calendar cards for several months in advance, which I love for planning ahead!
Verdict: The design in August's Papergang box is a dream! This might just be my very favorite one yet. If I've said that in the past, disregard—this one is it. As far as the items themselves, I received a journal, three pencils, a roll of washi tape, a blank card, and a bonus calendar card. I would've loved another item in place of the washi tape—something I might use more day to day—but that's just me! These items added up to about $22.06 USD. I'm happy with that value for a $14.40 (+ shipping) box, especially when you add in the priceless experience of opening this pristinely packaged subscription!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, you'll receive the September box! 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 $14.40 + $3.44 shipping, which means that each of the 6 items in the box (counting the bonus calendar) has an average cost of $2.97.
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Did you like August's Papergang theme as much as I did?
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