TEH centres are well aware of the importance of having a stable source of income and many centers have found help from the network when their funding has been threatened. For CCC, the bleak reality is that they have never enjoyed an operational grant and since their relations with the real estate owner have turned from sour to bitter, they too turn to the network. With a twist.
In essence, these are new notebooks that have been bound inside old book covers, giving those another round of practical use. They are made in cooperation with the
Estonian Printing Museum and the volunteer force of Creative Center Carnation. The books are discards from libraries and the new content pages are industry leftovers. Thus, the production is based on the principle that "the waste of others is our raw material". The reverse is also true, as the original content blocks of books are sold to
a company manufacturing cellu-fibre, an insulation material. "Our waste is the raw material for others." - this makes the cycle complete.
To sum it all up — CCC is facing very difficult times, but the centre also has some very excellent products. So if you ever need a notebook, please do check out these. You get something you need to unlock your inspiration and we get to do what we do best — like teaching kids about the history of printing and the importance of books in our daily workshops.
I want one for me!
Browse
Creative Center Carnation's selection on Etsy and use the coupon code TEH73 for a 25% discount.
I want one for everyone in the office!
Get in touch with Lemmit at lemmit[at]nelk[dot]ee and you will get shipped a whole box with a selection of hardcover, spiral bound and plain-cover notebooks. Remember our ancient printing presses — we can even have your logo pressed onto them!
I want to know more!
Take a look at the
Tartuensis website for more stories and eye candy or check out the
Tumblr of The Estonian Printing Museum.
Text by Lemmit Kaplinski (Creative Center Carnation)