From imaginative greeting cards and gift wrap to charming home goods, this Texas-based business is making its mark with Southern wit and whimsy.
By Elizabeth Bonner
Lone Star State native Meg Sutton always planned to have a career in design, but she never could have predicted how her passion and talent would meld with a lifetime of Southern inspiration and the fresh perspectives that came along with her marriage to a Northern soldier. The pieces all worked together to form Belle & Union, a company specializing in paper and housewares immersed in a mix of the South’s traditional hospitality and the distinctive flair of its makers.
It all started while Meg was at the Savannah College of Art and Design studying graphic design and working at a local gift shop. “It was there I was introduced to the wonderful world of stationery and letterpress,” she recalls. After attending the 2009 National Stationery Show in New York, she knew she wanted to launch her own collection. She met and married husband Josh the same year, and together they drew vision from their diverse backgrounds and skill sets—Meg the creative, Josh the complementary creator and helpful “handyman.” In 2012, they debuted Belle & Union at the same trade show that stirred Meg’s dream.
The company began primarily as a stationery business, selling greeting cards, gift wrap, and a small line of tea towels. “Any product within the collection starts with one of my doodles being brought to life,” Meg says. In the years since their launch, they’ve brought much more to life in their College Station, Texas, studio, expanding their offerings to art prints and other home décor, office accessories, and kitchen commodities.
“As we grew, we really found our niche within the foodie market—that is, wares for the kitchen,” Meg explains. These include wooden utensils, hand-carved and engraved with sweet regional sayings, as well as embroidered napkins, aprons, cake toppers, cheese picks, and more. “The heart of the line began with phrases that are heard more in the South than anywhere else,” Meg says. “It is in our whimsical wit and wisdom that you’ll see Southern tendencies shine through.”
Belle & Union also touts a charming holiday collection with festive cards and wrapping paper, as well as seasonal embellishments like pie picks and garnishes for both Christmas trees and the packages displayed underneath. “It is all about bringing people together—through a holiday card connecting families on opposite ends of the country or in a special gift under the tree,” the designer says. “We strive to make heirloom-quality wares that will last generations, passed from grandparent to parent and parent to child.”
Meg says the journey that comes with owning a small business can at times feel long and challenging, but when she sees the impact her products have, she knows her work is worthwhile. “I find great joy in knowing I play a small part in people’s lives behind the scenes,” she says.
“One of my favorite things is to watch people when they read our cards or experience one of our products for the first time. I love the ear-to-ear grin when a memory is sparked. I treasure knowing that our wares remind people of those they love—whether it’s because of a gift they are giving or one that is received.”
For information, visit belleandunion.com.
Visit Southern Lady’s 2016 Merry Days of Christmas Giveaways webpage for a chance to win a goodie basket full Belle & Union products!
Find more information in the November/December 2016 issue of Southern Lady.
