12/6/24
Michael Roger’s products reflect commitment to environment and innovation
by Victoria Ritter
Michael Roger is a small company with big dreams. The family-owned and -operated business got its start in 1949 publishing Library of Congress catalogs and transitioned to making ledger books for government offices and police departments. Four generations later, Michael Roger is known for producing journals, sketchbooks, notebooks, binders and writing utensils under the leadership of President Eric Held.
Michael Roger puts a strong emphasis on the quality of its paper and providing a wide variety of product types. Its extensive catalog showcases notebooks in numerous sizes and aesthetic designs.
“I think having pen and paper is really important and grounding for a lot of people,” Held stated. “It’s a nice way to take a digital break and create something of record that’s not going to disappear into the ether. It’s easier to be creative.”
An evolving product
The most recognized product from Michael Roger is its Decomposition Books, a series of earth-conscious notebooks. The basis for the line started with Held’s father’s Basic Books, which were simply made with board, paper and wire. Held took it one step with Eco Books that were made with 100 percent post-consumer waste paper. He was inspired by the traditional composition books used in schools which he described as “a nice, fun, living tool.”
“The problem was it didn’t look great,” Held reflected. “It looked like a shopping bag. For some people, having a simple, blank canvas is inviting; in the art market in particular, people like to decorate it and make it their own. But the problem that we had was that it didn’t stand out. So, we went back to the drawing board.”
After some deliberation, Held’s brother Jacob brought up the idea of Decomposition Books. In addition to being eco-friendly, Held wanted the notebooks’ design and aesthetic to be of paramount concern. The company initially released two designs – a cherry blossom pattern (now retired) and wood grain – and quickly expanded to a handful of motifs. There are currently more than 100 designs, many of which start out as linoleum prints from an in-house artist.
“We like to have that handmade feel to the artwork,” Held said. “Not everything is digital. Grounding and keeping a hand in the physical world is important to our aesthetic and to what we’re doing.”
Expanding in an eco-friendly way
Michael Roger has extended its Decomposition line of environmentally friendly products. Examples include folders made from recycled plastic milk jugs, Forest Stewardship Council-certified pencils fashioned out of incense cedar and ballpoint pens constructed from 90 percent post-consumer waste recycled plastic.
“If you give value to recycled products, it encourages recycling,” Held observed. “If there’s no value to it, then it all goes in the same landfill.”
A new product is the Birds of Prey Gift Set which had a soft launch in October. The package features three different notebooks and a set of 12 pencils in a custom-printed box. Held also expressed an interest in a clothing line featuring popular designs from Decomposition Books.
“We are not just a book company anymore. We are a lifestyle brand,” Held said, adding Michael Roger has 150 SKUs. “We want to appeal to a broad range of customers.”
When introducing a new product, the Michael Roger team makes sure that they can provide a variety of iterations as well as consider whether it will resonate with customers. They typically release a cover refresh twice a year, each with five to seven designs.
“We want to protect our retailers,” Held said. “We want to give them all winning products. If something comes up that doesn’t look like a winner, we don’t want to damage that relationship.”
Retailers can order a fixture that holds up to 16 items and customize the designs to fit the aesthetic of the store or the interests of customers. That way, retailers can offer an assortment that’s unique to them. “We have a lot of fun and different design choices that speak to what people are into.”
Held enjoys coming up with new designs and ideas for merchandise just as much as he appreciates seeing the creative ways they’re used. He noted how one writer posted on Instagram how she starts all of her novels in a Decomposition Book. Meanwhile, a teacher keeps a Michael Roger notebook on hand to write notes to students and personal memos.
“We’re grateful to our customers who have invited us into their stores and homes and have let us be part of their scripts and poetry. It’s a point of honor to be a choice in people’s backpacks.”
