Stationery Fest NYC: A Creative Day That Got Me Thinking

On Friday, July 31, I spent the day at Stationery Fest at Industry City in Brooklyn, and it ended up being one of those outings that was both fun and unexpectedly inspiring.

The first thing I noticed was the turnout.

It was packed.

There were stationery lovers everywhere, and people were shopping. It immediately showed me just how passionate this community is about the products they love.

Stickers, Pens & So Much Stationery

Stickers were definitely one of the biggest things I noticed—individual stickers, sticker sheets, sticker books, tiny stickers for journaling, and even books for storing sticker collections.

There were also beautiful fountain pens, washi tape, stamps, planners, bullet journals, leather journal covers, and accessories like tote bags, mini bags, and pen pouches.

I also noticed a strong Japanese and Korean influence throughout the event, especially in the journaling products, pens, and illustration styles.

What surprised me most was how diverse the crowd was. There were people of different ages and backgrounds, and plenty of men shopping too.

Stationery really does have something for everyone.

The Biggest Idea I Brought Home

One of my favorite things to see was how brands designed products in collections.

A single illustration or theme could show up on a sticker sheet, pin, notebook, tote, shirt, or other accessory.

As a surface pattern designer, that really stood out to me.

It made me think more seriously about how my own artwork could expand into stationery.

I've already been interested in creating products around my patterns and illustrations, but Stationery Fest showed me how naturally stationery and accessories can work together.

Stickers.

Notebooks.

Journals.

Pens.

Pouches.

Totes.

Small, useful products that are pretty, practical, easy to carry, and fun to collect.

It feels like a natural direction to explore.

Could I Have a Booth Next Year?

That was probably my biggest takeaway of the day.

I'd love to have a booth at Stationery Fest in the future.

Seeing the small, colorful booths made it feel much more approachable than I expected, and it gave me ideas about what I could create for an event like this.

It also reminded me of attending NY NOW and the National Stationery Show back in 2020. At the time, I don't think I was ready to take advantage of that opportunity.

Now I see it very differently.

Sometimes you have to see an industry up close before you can imagine yourself being part of it.

Stationery Haul!

A Little NYC Fun Too

I made a full NYC day out of the trip with food, shopping, and a few of my favorite stops—including MUJI and Barnes & Noble.

I came home with a few new stationery finds, some Stationery Fest goodies, and plenty of ideas.

More importantly, I came home excited to create.

Stationery Fest was definitely an eye-opener, and I have a feeling this won't be the last time stationery shows up in my creative plans.

Maybe next year I'll be on the other side of the table.

XOXO, Shabya