Owner David Atkinson said Little Peach had printed 2,500 double-sided invitations to Australian Fashion Week for fashion designer Easton Pearson. Little Peach beat a digital printer to the job, he added.
Atkinson used to work in advertising and started designing things like wedding invitations seven years ago as an after-work hobby.
He told ProPrint that he opened a studio in October so he could also handle production.
"I love that I can do it all. The only thing we don't do is make the plates, but I'm looking into buying a platemaker," he said.
Atkinson set up shop in Woolloongabba in a 120-year-old building that once housed a printer. He bought a dilapidated Heidelberg Platen for $2,000 from Brisbane firm Inky's and also picked up an antique Space Lab Enterprises foiling press for $50. It took a lot of trial and error before he mastered the two machines, said Atkinson.
[Facebook: Behind-the-scenes photos]
He said trade was initially slow as Little Peach tried to build its name, but that there had been a noticeable pick-up in the past two months.
"When we started we were doing one job per week. Now I've got four jobs lined up on the press and we're doing about six jobs per week."
Atkinson said he had hired a part-time staffer in March to work in design and marketing. "I think we're getting to the stage where I'm looking at getting another design intern," he added.
Atkinson hopes to one day expand to three Platens and 10 staff. He also wants Little Peach to start picking up more and more greeting cards and business cards and corporate work to supplement the wedding invitations that currently form the bulk of its business.
"Letterpress is a dying art form and we want to preserve the craftsmanship of this extraordinary printing method. We see Brisbane locals turning back to the old ways with a love for vintage goods and we're excited to contribute to the revival," he said.
[Feature: Craft makes a comeback]
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