UPDATE: 08/10/14 - You can now pre-order stationery packs via our online store - www.wordswithheart.com
OUR STORY
Hi, I'm Lauren and I'm a social entrepreneur with a passion for products that do good.
Earlier this year I was at the airport, and on my way to the boarding gate I stopped to buy a notebook. Walking into the stationery store, I saw something that really bothered me. It was a campus notebook for girls, and it had this phrase across the cover...
'Boys, heels, blogs - let's get back to the basics.'
Yuck.
It might have been tongue in cheek, but I was pretty upset about this hugely disempowering statement. It was especially frustrating to see these words on a product intended for knowledge, ideas and creativity - and on an item that young women and girls would
use each day at school or university. Words are powerful, and they can have a pretty big impact if you read them often enough.
I got on the plane, but I couldn't stop thinking about that notebook. What if that statement had been an empowering one instead? What if there was a stationery brand that had a truly positive impact - not just in relation to the cover - but in terms of sustainability
and philanthropy as well? I believe in respecting our environment, and I believe that women and girls should be empowered with the tools and inner confidence to do and be anything they choose.
So I decided to do something about it.
The idea for Words With Heart was born, and now I need your help to pre-sell $15,000 worth of stationery to get our launch collection off the ground.
WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT
Words With Heart is an eco-friendly stationery brand that promotes empowering messaging, and donates 50% of net profits to charities working in women's and girls' education.
I've spent the past six months immersed in researching, planning and designing our business model and launch collection, with the aim of creating the most impactful stationery products possible.
Environment
An estimated three-quarters of the commercially cut timber in Australia is used for paper production, and while some of it comes from managed plantations, too much of it comes from native, old-growth forests with high conservation value. The paper industry
is the world's fourth largest industrial user of energy and a significant emitter of greenhouse gases.
Taking care of the environment really matters to me - I'm a huge tree-hugger at heart. That's why no trees or native forests are harmed in the production of our paper stationery. We use 100% recycled paper, vegetable based inks, solar power and no harsh
printing chemicals. Our paper products are also all made locally in Australia.
Women's and girls' education
While I've been fortunate to recieve all the benefits and opportunities of an education, other women and girls are not so fortunate. Over 66 million girls across the globe lack access to education, and two-thirds of the world’s illiterate are women.
After losing my Mum a few years ago, I took a career break and spent three months volunteering overseas. Part of that time was spent at a school in Kenya, where I met many clever girls and young women with big dreams, but struggling or unable to pay for
their education. The trip had a huge impacton me, and I came back inspired to create positive change.
Words With Heart plans to donate 50% of our net profts to charities working in women's and girls' education. Because everyone has the right to a quality education, and an educated girl or woman can transform her future. I've consulted with an international
development expert to ensure our social impact model is meaningful and effective. Should our crowd-funding campaign be a success, we plan to establish an experienced panel and welcome relevant non-profit organisations - big and small - to submit proposals
for funding.
Equality and Empowerment
In Australia, women and girls still grapple with inequality and sexism in every day life. From a young age, girls are faced with pressures to conform to gender stereotypes in terms of beauty, dress, career, relationship roles, mannerisms and interests. This
is reinforced through common language, media and advertising and female-targeted products including toys, clothing and books.
Girls and young women are smart, courageous and strong and they deserve to be seen and represented as such. Thats why our launch collection notebook and journal covers feature statements that empower, inspire and promote equality.
Design, Pricing and Quality
I've worked closely with a wonderful graphic designer to create cover designs with an easy, fresh style and simple typography. Our paper, printing and production is of the highest quality, and we've thoroughly researched pricing to ensure our stationery
is afforable and comparable to other stationery products for sale in Australia.
THE COLLECTION
The launch collection includes:
Notebooks
For school, university, work or home. Perfect for ideas, calculations, grand schemes, to-do lists and anything and everything else.
Features:
*6 notebook designs, each in A4 and A5 size
*72 lined pages, made with 100% post-consumer recycled paper
*Cover made with 100% recycled card
*An outline of our social impact detailed on the back cover
*For the campaign, they will be available in two packs of three - your choice of A or B as pictured. Once the campaign is over, we'll be in touch to confirm the pack of your choice.
Pack A:
She believed she could, so she did.
Dream big, work hard, have courage.
Be who you are, and not who they want you to be.
Pack B:
Small acts can change the world.
I stand for equality, respect, freedom.
Girls just wanna have fun -damental human rights.
Girls Journal
A first journal or notebook for girls of any age.
Features:
*A5 size
*72 lined pages, made with 100% post-consumer recycled paper
*Cover made with 100% recycled card and coated in a laminate made from recycled plastic bottles
*An outline of our social impact detailed on the back cover
Pens
Features:
*Body made with 100% recycled paper and fittings made from biodegradable cornstarch
*Retractable, and with black ink
*Made in China to ethical standards
