Our Story
Nobody needs a handmade card. That's exactly why receiving one means so much. In a world of instant messages, something made by hand says:
“I spent time on you.”
For some of us, it starts with a card. For others, a scrapbook page, a journal, a watercolor that ends up framed on the wall. There's no single door into paper crafting, but once you're in, one thing leads to another.
Altenew exists for people anywhere on that journey.
Our founders, Tasnim and Jen, met the way crafters do, through crafting challenges and online communities, back in 2012. They became friends without ever meeting in person. What they shared, besides the friendship, was a frustration: the design they both wanted to work with simply didn't exist in the market. So, in April 2014, they decided to create it themselves. That was the beginning of Altenew.
The name comes from the word "Alt," which translates into "old" in German, combined with the word "New." Paper crafting is a centuries-old tradition. We bring it a modern design perspective — original artwork with a signature style co-founder Tasnim has shaped since the very first release, carried across stamps, dies, stencils, inks, papers, and a full line of coloring essentials.
And when the tools crafters needed didn't exist, we built them.
From our patented Stampwheel to clever systems designed to solve everyday crafting frustrations, we make creativity effortless. This includes our Zero-Waste dies (where every piece becomes part of a project), the foolproof Key-Hole system for perfect layering, and One-Go tools that turn a dozen steps into one.
Our clear photopolymer stamps and inks are made primarily in the United States and today, they're in the hands of crafters in more than 111 countries.
But we've never thought of ourselves as just a crafting supply company.
Through Altenew Academy, our classes and Educator Certification Program have helped thousands of crafters go from following tutorials to teaching their own — the same path our founders took, from community members to creators.
Because the point was never just the stamp. It's what you make with it: whether that's a card to send to someone you love or a scrapbook page to remember life’s milestones.
If you're new here, welcome. Start anywhere. The only rule in this craft is that it belongs to you.
Check out our interactive flipbook below to learn more about our journey through the years: