We create joyfully illustrated paper treasures featuring lots of fluffy and feathery friends, and the odd rainbow or three. A lot of love goes into creating each card, and we hope they help you connect to your special people, one little piece of snail mail at a time.

Our Story

My business journey began with a visit to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage in Nairobi whilst I was still at uni studying Illustration, back in 2012. I’d always been an animal lover and a crazy cat lady, but that trip was my inspiration to start painting animals for the very first time.

After finishing uni I moved back in with my parents and working from their spare room, I continued to grow my portfolio of animal illustrations which I sold at local markets. It took me a year or so after uni to start to develop my own style, and at Spring Fair in 2016 I showed my first collection of cards, Furry Friends, which is still going strong today.

Since then, our team has grown to my lucky number (seven), we supply hundreds of small and larger shops around the UK and beyond, and with your help, we have donated more than £100,000 to wildlife charities that protect and revive the natural world from which I draw so much inspiration.

Louise at her workspace
Louise at her workspace

Our Process

All our cards start out as one of many pencil scribbles on loose sheets of paper. I then use a variety of media including pen and ink and gouache, combining colourful inky washes, intricate line-work and a lot of white space to create characterful illustrations that capture the essence of their furry real-life counterparts. I love the physicality of creating and I try to preserve this handmade, hand painted feel right through to the final printed card.

A Family Effort

The story of my business isn’t complete without mentioning my Mum and Dad. Dad gave up his accountancy job to join me just months after my second trade show in 2016 and devoted the next five years, working by my side, to building our operational and financial foundations. I have learned much from him about leadership, organisation and thoughtful decision-making. Although he is now happily retired, his prudence and diligence live on in all our processes today and in the spirit of our small team.

Mum has been my biggest cheerleader from day one, coming with me to my very first trade show, and every trade show we’ve done since. Having run her own creative business for 15 years, she’s always instilled in me that it is possible to turn my passion for painting into my job. Mum’s opinions on my illustrations will always be the ones that matter to me most. She always seems to be right in the end (which can get very annoying!)

Louise at her workspace

Giving Back

As a paper-based business creating artwork inspired by our planet's beautiful and diverse wildlife, we want to be apart of protecting and reviving it! We donate 2% of our annual revenue to wildlife charities close to our hearts.

Read more about each charity below.

We’re Rewilding with Rewilding Britain!

We’re Rewilding with Rewilding Britain!

We're Rewilding with Rewilding Britain! As a paper-based business creating artwork inspired by our planet's beautiful and diverse wildlife, we want to be apart of protecting and reviving it! Giving back to causes that mean a lot to us is truly one of the greatest joys of having a business.  Over the last four years, we are unbelievably proud to have funded the planting of 500,000 trees together with you, through our pledge of planting 1 tree per order with Eden People+ Planet (formerly Eden Reforestation Projects). But we are learning that there is a more holistic approach to helping our planet. Enter: Rewilding Britain!  About Rewildling Rewilding is the large-scale restoration of nature until it can take care of itself – and us – again. It’s about restoring nature’s remarkable web of life, including habitats, natural processes and, where appropriate, missing species. Rewilding Britain wants to see rewilding flourishing across Britain, reconnecting us with nature, sustaining communities, and tackling the climate emergency and extinction crisis. Rewilding Britain is inspiring a movement of rewilders across Britain’s land and seas. So that together we can ensure a wilder, nature-rich future that benefits us all. Our Donation We donate 1% of our turnover to Rewilding Britain to create a wilder Britain that improves lives for people, nature and the climate. So when you buy our cards, you can feel wildly proud knowing you are apart of the good fight to tackle the climate crisis and bring nature back to life.  

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The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: returning to where it all began!

The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: returning to where it all began!

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust As a paper-based business creating artwork inspired by our planet's beautiful and diverse wildlife, we want to be apart of protecting and reviving it! Giving back to causes that mean a lot to us is truly one of the greatest joys of having a business.  The SWT is a charity very close to my (Louise's) heart.  I visited their elephant orphanage in Nairobi National Park during my second year of university and it was the first I'd learned of the incredible and far-reaching work they do to protect and preserve wildlife in Kenya.  It marked a poignant time in my development and direction as an illustrator, and was really the inspiration for me to start painting animals for the very first time.  Five years later, elephants feature often in my card designs and are still my favourite to paint.  About Their Life-saving Work The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust operates a multi-faceted approach to conservation.  Best known for their 'Orphans' Project', the first and most successful elephant rescue and rehabilitation program in the world, their legacy also encompasses anti-poaching operations, safeguarding precious wildlife habitats, mitigating human-wildlife conflict and providing veterinary assistance to wild animals in need, all of this work being underpinned by engagement with local communities. Photo by Mia Collis © Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Our Donation We donate 1% of our annual turnover to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (beginning 1st July 2019) and now totalling more than £50,000 in donations, to help support their mission to conserve, preserve and protect wildlife and habitats in Kenya. SWT Christmas cards and Stationery I have been incredibly honoured to design Christmas cards for the Trust over the last five years, which are sold exclusively on their online shop, with 100% of proceeds going to the Trust. It's been a joy each year to take inspiration from the beautiful photos and videos that the SWT share on their social platforms and create a new selection of elephant themed designs. More recently, 'just to say' cards, 'thank you' cards, stationery products and gift wrap have been added to the collection which are sold year round. Shop the Louise Mulgrew x SWT collection here.

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500,000 trees planted so far with Eden: People+Planet

500,000 trees planted so far with Eden: People+Planet

500,000 trees planted so far with Eden: People+Planet (formerly Eden Reforestation Projects) Eden: People+Planet is a global nonprofit with a profound commitment to create a sustainable future for people and the planet. As Eden have advanced as an organisation, so has their approach, by going beyond tree planting to embracing a more holistic, standards-based restoration process. While trees will always be a major part of their activities, they are adopting a more comprehensive approach to strengthen community resilience, restore vital ecosystems, and mitigate climate change. In joining the urgent global effort to make a transformative change by 2030, Eden has adopted a more robust restoration strategy by prioritizing long-term sustainability through community-driven landscape restoration. This strategy is rooted in nearly two decades of practical experience and aligns with the industry’s trajectory toward addressing the interrelated pressures of historical degradation, climate change, and poverty.  By integrating global best practices, science-based restoration methods, and collaborative partnerships, we can address the drivers of deforestation and degradation. In de-risking the future and addressing the foundational needs of people, we restore habitats, safeguard biodiversity, and mitigate drivers and impacts of climate change. Our Donation Since 2019, we have funded the planting of 500,000 trees and created 5000 days of employment. We have now moved away from tree planting alone, and our donations are now directed to funding the Chimanimani Landscape Restoration project in Mozambique. 

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Meet Our Small But Mighty Team

It is an absolute privilege to work alongside my fabulous team, without whom it would not be possible to see through this creative dream of mine and hopefully we create something that makes others happy in the process.

Louise
Founder & Director
Sally (Mum)
Office Manager
Caitriona
Director of Operations
Xeni
Finance Manager
Yasmin
Administration and Orders Manager
Emilio
Ops and Customer Service Manager
Beck
Product and Orders Manager
Dad (Retired)
In Charge of Long Country Walks
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A Small Business Supply Chain

Our cards and paper products are all published locally in the UK, working with other UK-based small businesses as our suppliers and fulfilment partners. We are passionate about minimising our impact on the environment in every way that we can, constantly improving the materials and processes we use to create and send our products out into the world. All of our cards and products are now packaged plastic-free!

Elephant Drawing
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Some Fabulous Awards

There are a few prestigious industry awards in the greetings card world: ‘The Henries’ are the greetings card ‘Oscars’ in the UK, and ‘The Louies’ are the US equivalent. We won our first Henrie in 2017 for Best Art Range and I’m not sure I’ll ever get a feeling like that again. Since then, we’ve won four more Henries and four Louies for our card and gift ranges, including ‘Most Promising Young Designer’ in 2020 and ‘Artist of the Year’ in 2023.

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