MAKE GIVING A PATTERN

In Japanese there are two words for giving, agemasu and kuremasu. Agemasu is used when you are giving to someone. Kuremasu is used when someone is giving to you. MASU embodies all forms of giving.

From gifting to giving back to our planet and local economy, MASU’s commitment to giving goes far beyond pretty paper.

THE MASU STORY

Libby was looking for wrapping paper that matched all of her values. She had a hard time finding paper that was 100% recycled, recyclable, made in America, AND had great designs. She combined her surface pattern design skills and values to create premium, eco-friendly wrapping paper with designer patterns that's made in America. MASU paper looks, feels, and does good. 

MASU’s distinct designs start with Libby Hampel’s hand or digital drawings. Pen, marker, ink, and paint are her analog mediums. Her digital mediums are an iPad & Apple Pencil and an iMac. Artistic and tech savvy, she finds joy in both mediums.

We are authentic and transparent. We are strong and empathetic. We focus on quality and connection. We pave our own path. We are playful, thoughtful, and bold.

USA ALL THE WAY

100% designed, printed, and made in the USA, MASU prides itself on supporting American jobs. To support our community and reduce our carbon footprint, we source as close to home as possible. Our paper is milled in New Hampshire and printed in Missouri by a family-owned, environmentally responsible company. Our shipping boxes are made in St. Louis. MASU is located in Columbia, MO.

LUXURIOUSLY GREEN

All that glitters isn't good. Papers with glitter, flocking, foil, sequins, and certain coatings are not recyclable. MASU shines with its artistic designs, distinct color palettes, and commitment to the environment. 

All of our paper is 100% PCW recycled, recyclable, and American made. Our wrapping paper is the only premium coated, 100% recycled sheet made in America and has a velvety smooth finish. Greeting cards are uncoated paper with a lovely smooth finish. Envelopes are 100% PCW recycled, recyclable, and American made.

While some orders that are shipped directly from the printer may contain plastics or non-recyclable materials, all of MASU’s packaging & shipping materials (from our boxes to our labels and their adhesive) are 100% recyclable and plastic free. 

ABOUT LIBBY

Picture of Libby Hampel, the Founder and Designer of MASU, in a black dress with pink polka dots smiling.

Hello there! I’m Libby Hampel, the beauty, brains, and braun behind MASU. Braun is required because paper is HEAVY AF. I grew up in Indiana. Went to college in California. Moved to Michigan to be with my now husband. Now I live in Missouri with said hubs. I went to college for Fashion Design, but my professor noticed I was drawing patterns on the clothes instead of seams. Oops! So I got my BFA in Textile Design. Life happened and I didn’t go into Textile Design. Fast forward to 2018 and I took online courses to hone my design skills and find my design voice. I’ve done both and haven’t looked back. Right as COVID lockdowns started, I was beginning to look for freelance and licensing clients for my surface pattern designs. So yeah, that well dried up. From August 2020 to March 2022 I worked for a stationery & gift business that did their own fulfillment and for other small businesses. I picked, fulfilled, & shipped retail and wholesale orders along with IT work. Working there made me realize my true calling was to have my own products with my designs. Not only did I want the products to meet my values, it was equally important that my values permeate the whole business. That meant the marketing materials, packaging, and shipping materials also had to be recycled, recyclable, American made, and plastic free. In October of 2021 MASU officially launched with 28 wrapping paper designs and in February of 2023 added 30 greeting cards. I look forward to creating more playful, thoughtful, and bold eco-friendly paper goods down the road. Follow along on Instagram @givemasu. 

Now let's have fun! 

Can you relate? (I'd seriously love to know, email or Insta DM me!)

  • Iced latte's all year long
  • Sick of "hack" and "hustle" culture. Please stoooooop!
  • Dogs are awesome. Cats are (mostly) dicks.
  • Elderly millenial
  • Cooking over baking. 
  • LOVE thunderstorms!
  • Enjoy the swears. !@#$%^&*
  • Have every season of The Golden Girls on dvd. Betty White is a damn legend!  

Interesting bits about me...

  • Worked in an Apple store for 6 years doing sales, tech support, and training customers & employees. 
  • On my dad's side of the family I'm the only child, grandchild, and niece. (I'm very social and outgoing!)
  • Handwriting isn't nice.
  • Artistic & tech savvy.
  • Collected baseball cards when I was a kid.
  • COVID lockdown started on my birthday!
  • LOOOOOVE 90's country music.

 “There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.”  -Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr.