We first opened our doors 34 years ago – and we’ve worked hard to earn our stripes as one of the longest-established labelling and packaging printing companies in the UK, with connections all over the globe.
But how did we get here?
Let’s take a closer look at the history of Hallmark Labels, as told by our Partner, James Dawkins, who saw much of this journey unfold for himself.
Where it all started
Hallmark Labels was founded in 1990 by Mark Dawkins, my father. Mark gained his industry experience at a local label company in Essex before deciding to take the plunge and start his own business. He knew it was the right move, but he also knew how much work he’d need to put in to make it a success!
He started trading from his home, and his wife, Tracy, was his first ‘official’ employee. Their kitchen was their office, and their garage was their makeshift warehouse. The whole house was consumed by Mark and Tracy’s ambitions; my sister Amy and I grew up climbing over boxes of labels to get into bed every night.
And the couple’s commitment paid off. In the mid-1990s, Mark bought his first factory in south Essex, which enabled the company to grow much faster and make more of a splash on both a local and now national scale. He churned out swing tags, wash care labels, stickers and woven labels to meet the needs of brands and retailers that were looking for high quality yet affordable labelling solutions to set them apart from their competitors. Before digitisation, these kinds of materials played an even more essential role in marketing – so it’s not an exaggeration to say that Mark and his team were making a huge difference to the livelihoods of the people they were partnering with. Even as children, Amy and I could feel the excitement surrounding our dad’s venture.
Taking the business to the next level
Around the turn of the century, Mark acquired a larger premises on the same industrial estate in Loughton, and this is where we’re still based today. He simultaneously set up franchise partnerships with several factories in Turkey, China, India and Bangladesh, taking his services global for the first time and laying the foundations for the worldwide presence we enjoy today.
Amy and I joined the family business around 10 years ago, and we had plenty of ideas to keep Hallmark competitive in an increasingly digital age. (You can learn more about us here.) Among other things, one of the biggest decisions we made was to expand our solutions with wider varieties of customisable packaging.
Obviously, we had a solid understanding of how our industry works, and we were able to hit the ground running in terms of managing Hallmark’s daily operations – but there were of course many challenges to growing our service offering and making sure we could deliver exceptional products that matched the quality of our labels. Losing our solid reputation wasn’t an option. We sourced machines with different printing capabilities and developed relationships with new suppliers, and pretty soon, we were providing mailing bags, mailing boxes, gift bags, gift boxes, polybags, tissue paper, and all manner of printed items to our ever-growing client portfolio.
Fast forward to 2024, and Hallmark is in a better position than ever. We’re designing, printing and delivering more products than ever before, and we’ve maintained our standing in what remains an increasingly competitive sector. We’re continuing to blow our customers away with the quality of our items, the speed and reliability of our services, and the professional, friendly approach we take to each project. Plus, in more recent years, we’ve ensured that sustainability is at the heart of our brand, shunning common greenwashing techniques in favour of moves that make a real difference, such as becoming FSC certified.
We’re not sure what the next 30 odd years will have in store for us. But we know that, as a family, we are ready and willing to navigate any challenges that come our way!
Our story in photos
