Dear Ershadul...

Found this little scrap of a start from November 2007 while tidying the studio. In those days a germ of an idea was forming. Spare time was spent sketching logo ideas and trying on names for a newly conceived line of globally conscious letterpress stationery. The name and logo began to emerge but a printer is nothing without her paper. And the Fair Trade artisans I had emailed at Prokritee in Bangladesh were not responding to my inquiry. Cyclone Sidr, the strongest cyclone in the Bay of Bengal in 2007 was making sure no paper got made in Bangladesh that November. Eventually things calmed down for them. Many had to rebuild their homes. And one Ershadul Hoque managed to dry out his computer. On Feb. 3, 2008 I was charmed to read his reply:
"For your kind information, yes, you can purchase any of our products from us...Looking forward your kind replay [sic] and seeking opportunity to serve. We want to be a part of your glorious success."

The presses have been happily humming at De Milo Design for 11 years. But Sustain & Heal has added the pleasure of helping people celebrate their weddings and Bat and Bar Mitzvahs in a way that is globally compassionate...a "glorious success," and a gift in life to love what I do for a living. Two years from that first contact, and many emailed paper orders (flavored liberally with E's charming Victorian English), I'm looking forward to meeting Ershad and the other artisans. We depart November 19 for a 12 day trip to Bangladesh. My talented photographer friend Maebird will be documenting our travels so this place is going to get prettier once she's on board.