THE COMPANY
The Papery was founded by Howard and Alison Deary, a brother and sister team with a shared vision, to create a space where beautiful, thoughtfully designed stationery could be experienced, not just purchased.
What began as a love for paper and design has grown into something deeper.
Today, The Papery is evolving into a wellness-focused brand, rooted in the belief that writing, reflection, and creativity can support a more intentional, balanced life. Our products are designed not only to be used, but to be felt, to create moments of pause, clarity, and connection in a busy world.
Howard’s creativity, structure, and deep understanding of the industry helped shape the foundation of The Papery and its products. Although he has sadly since passed, the structures he put in place, and the standards he believed in, continue to guide the business. His legacy lives on in the way we design, create, and honour his love of perfection and quality.
We remain proudly South African, with the majority of our products locally designed and manufactured. This allows us to support other small businesses, contribute to job creation, and stay closely connected to the quality and integrity of everything we produce.
Over the years, some of our most loved creations have included the MOM Diary and WOW Diary, designed to support women in navigating full, layered lives, as well as our limited-edition Jam Packed Subscription Boxes, curated experiences that bring together stationery, creativity, and wellbeing.
While our range continues to evolve, our intention remains the same, to create products and experiences that inspire, support, and bring a sense of meaning to everyday life.
The Papery is more than stationery.
It is a quiet space to think, to feel, and to begin again.
Howard was co-founder of The Papery and the creative force behind many of its most loved diary and journal designs. The MultiPlanner and Mauriati Executive Planners were both his brainchild.
With over 40 years of experience, he brought a depth of knowledge and a distinctive design eye to the business, shaping not only the products themselves, but the way we think about quality, functionality, and detail.
Although Howard has since passed, the structures he put in place and the standards he believed in continue to guide the business. His influence remains part of the foundation of The Papery and lives on in everything we create.
Alison is the creator of the MOM and WOW Diaries as well as many of The Papery’s content-led products and serves as Managing Director of the business.
She is very involved in the curation of the Jam Packed boxes, development of new products as well as overseeing the day to day running of The Papery.
With 40 years of experience in business, Alison brings both strategic insight and creative vision, always seeking to create products that are meaningful, thoughtful, and beautifully made.
Ruth did an internship with The Papery in 2018 and has been here ever since.
She is one of the amazing people behind sales and customer service, and is responsible for making sure that everyone's orders get sent out to the right place and on time.
As well as dealing with other e-Commerce platforms and the Jam Packed subscriber base, she has also started moving into doing some of the product photography and box curation.
Ruth did Business Management at CPUT, and continues to learn and grow while being at The Papery
Vimbae, affectionately known as Vimmy was taken on part time near the end of 2021. Her part time lasted about a week as we realised that we could not do without her any day of the week!
Vimmy does the packing & wrapping of the Jam Packed boxes, counts & packs journals into bags, and packs the online orders.
With her beautiful smile and calm presence, she has become an absolute asset to The Papery.
Moleen, known as Molly in the office, was brought in to help pack a big corporate job. About a month or two later, with Jam Packed boxes growing in demand, we decided to invite her back on a permanent basis.
Molly works alongside Vimmy packing Jam Packed boxes, journals and also assists with the packing of orders.
She is a strong, friendly and dependable member of The Papery team.
Casey arrived at a time when we didn't have a role for her, but was "that special" that we decided we needed to create a job especially for her!
Her role entails anything to do with stock management. She keeps a close eye on the ever growing range of products, making sure things get reordered before they run out.
Casey's work experience is in sales and administration. She is well organised and efficient, and always brings a warm and confident smile to the office!
Stacey was brought onboard at the beginning of March 2024 originally to help with production, but very soon got redirected into content creation.
Although she comes from a finance background, she is really embracing her creative side, developing her skills and confidence along the way.
She now plays a key role in bringing the brand to life through photography, videography, social media, and mailers.
She remains a hands-on part of the team, assisting in the office where needed and managing weekly supplier runs to keep production flowing smoothly.
Summer joined The Papery in November 2024, shortly after graduating from the University of Cape Town with a Bachelor of Social Science.
As part of our customer service team, she plays a key role in processing and dispatching orders, assisting with customer queries, and ensuring that every parcel leaves with care and attention to detail.
Her background in social sciences brings a thoughtful, people-centred approach to her work, giving her a natural sensitivity to customer needs and experiences.
A quiet and steady presence in the team, Summer simply gets on with what needs to be done, consistently and with care. She takes pride in her work and in helping to bring a little joy to each order that reaches its destination.
Chevaun joined The Papery at the end of 2025 and has become a steady, grounding presence within the business.
With a background in Business Management, she supports the day-to-day running of things through bookkeeping, admin, and operational tasks, with a great focus on structure and attention to detail.
There is a calmness in the way she works, thoughtful, thorough, and she is always kind to customers, suppliers and the team. She quietly gets on with what needs to be done, bringing a sense of ease to even the busiest days.
She has quickly become another deeply valued part of the business, and we feel incredibly grateful to have her on the team.
