Tom Willday, managing director at the fourth-generation family-owned Leicester printing business, set up the spin-off children’s book business having been inspired by his grandfather and cousins.
While spending time with his family Willday had a eureka moment and came up with the engaging idea of a completely biodegradable book with pages that can be planted in a garden or window box.
He explained the firm’s story at this week’s IPIA Big Breakfast event, alongside Vivid sales and project manager Lewis Evans, who has supplied numerous pieces of equipment to the business as it has diversified its offering into digital and large-format printing.
“It’s the first ever plantable children’s’ books. You read the pages, and then plant the pages to grow real vegetables and real herbs,” Willday explained.
“We wanted to get books back into the hands of youngsters and get children back into gardening and learning, and growing things.”
There are five books in the series. Willsow has already secured sales deals with high-profile garden centre chains including Notcutts and Hilliers, and its books are also sold via Not on the High Street.
Selfridges is set to include the titles – which are displayed in a creative, attention-grabbing FSDU unit designed by Willday’s uncle’s business, Impact Creative – in its Project Earth sustainable shopping showcase.
The Willsow books will be trialled at its Oxford Street and Manchester Trafford Centre stores, which will reopen next week as part of Step Two of the roadmap out of lockdown.
Willday scooped the deal after reading about the project. He ‘cold contacted’ the Selfridges director heading up the initiative, who responded immediately.
The FSC paper is specially-made for Willsow using non-GMO seeds, and the firm has an exclusivity deal on new seed options being planned for the future.
It pays a premium on the sheets towards a carbon capture system. It also uses vegetable oil based inks, and the books are sewn using natural cotton. No glue or staples are used.
Offcuts from production are donated to local charities.
Willday has the capacity to make around 1,000 books a day. The books it sends out itself are posted in a protective envelope using corrugated paper rather than bubblewrap.
“Each one of our books has its own meaningful message, such as teamwork, the importance of diversity, and what it takes to be a hero with our herb hero series,” Willday added.
He said the firm was expanding its offering into eco-friendly marketing materials, and had already gained significant interest for the use of its plantable products for the end-of-life market including ‘last wishes’ cards and funeral orders of service.
The Willday factory is also powered by renewable energy.
