Even as the world has changed, one thing hasn’t changed: the power of putting ideas directly on paper. Two Lagos creatives—an illustrator and a product designer—chose to lean more into this idea, to create something that feels more tactile, and far more personal. That is the story of how Paperminkk was born, a stationery brand shaped by structure, intuition, and the belief that the simple act of writing can steady the mind in chaotic times.
This article looks at why Paperminkk exists right now, what it takes to produce physical goods in Nigeria, and why creators are still reaching for notebooks even while screens dominate their work. It also shows how two different design philosophies can merge into a single product that feels playful on the outside and disciplined on the inside.
In this conversation with Ife Aminu of Paperminkk, we try to understand how this product came to be, and what their future plans look like.
Q: What made you choose to launch a stationery product when illustrators tend to chase digital-only work?
A: Paperminkk is a partnership between my friend Orezi Omokiti and myself. We met in 2024 through my sister when Orezi, an architect turned product designer, needed a brand identity for her sustainable fashion marketplace. After that project, she called me about starting Paperminkk together.
The timing was perfect - I’d wanted to create physical products for a while but hadn’t followed through. Meanwhile, Orezi had previously made a planner for herself and wanted to create more for others. We’re both obsessed with stationery and have always written things down for as long as we can remember. We wanted to make products we’d actually want to use - and we knew there were people like us who felt the same way.
We also noticed that Nigeria doesn’t have much well-designed, joyful stationery, so coming together to build Paperminkk just made sense.
Q: Paperminkk has a bold, almost playful identity. What mood or feeling were you trying to bottle into the brand from day one?
A: Orezi approached me because she loves how I use color, shape, and layout. Her architectural background means she’s more structured and measured, while I’m looser and more intuitive. We decided Paperminkk should lean into that freedom.
The covers are bold, playful, explorative. The playful exterior invites you in without intimidation. Because, in the early stages of ideation for most people, ideas are often messy. So, the insides give you structure to organize those oftentimes messy thoughts into something executable.
Q: What do notebooks represent for you personally? What part of your own personality shows up the most in Paperminkk’s products?
A: I’ve kept notebooks and diaries since primary school - writing about anything and everything. Orezi’s exactly the same. She said recently that she believes anything she writes down will come to pass. I feel that way too. Notebooks are like our personal talismans.
That personal connection shaped how we built Paperminkk. Orezi’s background in architecture and product design means she thinks in systems and structure - so she designs our minimal, organized interiors. My work as an illustrator and graphic designer is more visual and expressive - I design the colorful, illustrative covers. We work together to make sure both elements feel cohesive.
Our current and upcoming products reflect that - her sensibility on the inside, mine on the outside.
Q: When you’re designing a new notebook or planner, what’s the first thing you consider—the cover, the typography, the message, or the story?
A: The use case. How will this be used? What does the owner want to achieve? We’re our first customers, so we test everything ourselves first, then share with others to see if it works for them too. Once we’ve figured out the usability, everything else follows. Typography, colors, the cover and so on.
Q: What’s something people don’t see—the hidden work—that goes into creating a single Paperminkk notebook?
A: Printing in Lagos. We spent over six months trying to find a printer who could meet our specifications and we are yet to find one that will make exactly what we want. Our initial launch plan included three products, not just notepads, but printing quality has been the bottleneck and is why we released just the notepads first.
The production process has been expensive and, honestly, emotionally draining.
Q: What is the importance of a brand like Paperminkk in the world today?
A: Physical products matter more than ever right now. And writing things down makes ideas feel tangible and achievable - whether it’s a sketch, a list, or pages of messy thoughts.
Given how difficult things are in Nigeria right now, we’re creating products that lean into whimsy and joy. We’ve included affirmations in some of our products and give affirmation stickers with purchases - we do all of these to spark positive feelings and remind people that what they want is within reach. Even just looking at a colorful, well-designed notebook can shift your mood.
Q: Immediate and long term plans for Paperminkk?
A: We’re releasing planners and calendars soon, so that is something to look forward to. Long-term, we want our own production facility. That would solve our printing challenges and give us full control over quality. Beyond stationery, we’re interested in games and curated physical experiences - anything that helps us and people like us organize their thoughts and connect with each other.
These beautiful notebooks are already live on their Paystack store. The shelves are lined with bold pinks, greens, and blues, each one carrying that mix of playful covers and structured interiors the duo talked about. You can order any of them right now and have it delivered to you anywhere in the world by clicking here.
