Crane Business Papers

Crane & Co. possesses a reputation for elegance and integrity in business and social stationery. Over the past two centuries, the Crane watermark has symbolized uncompromising quality in paper made from durable cotton – the choice for all US currency since 1879. For the past two decades, the challenge has been to help grow Crane’s market by communicating to specifiers of quality paper the merits of Crane’s products and, thereby, allow them to remain competitive against the technological changes of the 21st century. From the beginning, the strategy was to design promotional items that go beyond seductive yet meaningless print promotions that are readily discarded by recipients in favor of useful, informative tools and reference guides. Throughout, a conscious effort was made to keep items compact in order to minimize paper and reduce waste. While there is no single, overriding, brand aesthetic, four key attributes define the design—usefulness, efficiency, simplicity and compactness. The signature “Crane” logotype defines the corporate brand and is visible on packaging, promotions and individual product lines. A small linen-bound book in a muslin drawstring pouch extols the virtues of the watermark among other luxury brands. A letterpress monograph celebrates 100% cotton paper products, while Crane’s Global Guide assists with the selection process through a multi-tiered directory. New product launches include Crane’s R, a recycled and recyclable line of papers; Old Money, paper made from recovered shredded U.S. currency; Crane’s Social, a large selection of social papers, and Crane’s Choice a new 25% cotton fiber paper. Crane Business Papers has recently joined forces with and is now part of Neenah Paper.