This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Ky Tanella. Find them on Instagram at @ky.tanella. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Snail mail subscriptions are growing in popularity… Why are we returning to the postbox? Everything is so accessible through email, so what’s the point of sending and receiving letters anymore? What is this… the Renaissance? Well, yes! Picture the excitement the idea of a Pen Pal brought you as a child. In a fast-paced digital world, modern snail mail subscriptions offer a personal, tactile, and joyful escape, feeding your inner child and adding the joy of physical media back into your stratosphere! But you might be thinking: where do I start?
What Are Snail Mail Subscriptions?
Snail Mail subscriptions are typically services that deliver a variety of physical media handmade by a small artist – this could usually include stickers, postcards, or themed collections. Sometimes, they can follow some sort of pen pal story, or just be a straight-up handmade zine!
Pen Pal Services
Has the idea of a pen pal ever appealed to you, but you just don’t know where to start? These particular subscription services pair you with one (or a few) like-minded strangers, and encourage regular exchanges – this is usually customizable, whether you’d like prompts or some sort of theme attached! It brings the old-fashioned-ness back to friendship! Sometimes they’ll have little trinkets like beads or magnets, perfect for decorating your home, gifting to friends, or just holding on to for keepsake purposes.
Zine or Literary Subscriptions
Zines, especially physical ones, are having a huge Renaissance (obviously), and many online companies will create a physical copy to send to your door. These could be a handmade poetry chapbook (like Fruitslice Magazine), a variety magazine, or an art and illustration-focused publication, offering a glimpse into some indie writers and artists.
Prints, Stickers & Stationery
If you enjoy decorating journals, laptop covers, or really anything with stickers, these are perfect for you. Typically, they include mini art prints, washi tape, and some have stationary sets for your hand-written letter needs – these tend to be pricier, but really are worth it! Most are even themed, so you can choose which niche aesthetic you’d like to decorate with.
Letter-Writing Kits
Similar to stationery sets, these kits will provide you with everything you need to start writing letters – like postage stamps, prompts, and sometimes even wax seals!
Benefits of Mail Subscriptions
Well, first of all, it supports small artists! In the age of AI and an overwhelming lack of originality, it can be hard to seek out and support indie artists/writers. Digital fatigue is real, so this can be a creative way to encourage mindfulness and slow living! Many options are also budget-friendly, and you deserve accessible joy!
Unfortunately, authentic physical media and writing are dying art forms, and burnout is real. If you’ve been looking for a way to collect more physical art and possibly build your creativity through writing and decoration, this is a mindful, tangible way to do it. Yearning for simplicity and nostalgia is normal, and feeding into it is a great way to feel less overwhelmed.
These can also make fabulous, unique gifts for your friends or loved ones, especially if they’re bookish or creative. Especially if they’re themed, it can be such a thoughtful bonding experience!
Where to Start: Services to Check Out
Pen Pal Services
- MyFairyPenPal: This service is excellent if you have a kiddo that loves fairies, or if you’re super into them yourself! The detail on these things is impressive, and it’s incredibly immersive, so it genuinely feels like you have a fairy best friend!
- TheCoffeeMonsterzCo: Although it’s sold out right now, this is a great, adorable quarterly subscription if you like the vibe of cute little critters! It’s quarterly, and it offers products such as washi tape, stamps, and stickers!
- r/PenPals: This is a community Reddit where people can post and reach out to you to be your Pen Pal! Proceed with caution, and message the mods if you’re concerned!
Themed
- Letters From Afar: Letters From Afar is the ongoing story of an explorer traveling the world! It has unique insights into historic landmarks and travel advice!
- LetterJoy: Do you have a history nerd in your life? They’d love this subscription, which allows you to receive personalized letters from historical figures.
Postcards, Prints, Stickers & Stationery
- Stickii: This company mainly sells stickers, and you can choose from three different vibes – cute, vintage, and pop! They’re also super affordable and certifiably adorable!
- Paper+Craft Pantry: This is a monthly box with such a great variety of stationery supplies, and their branding is absolutely adorable! I recommend checking them out, but it might be a little on the expensive side.
- PipSticks: I love the vibe of this one, and they even have subscription options for kiddos! You can choose from a sticker subscription to a full-on stationery kit!
- Ohh Deer: They have the cutest themed boxes, and much more variety than a few other companies – plus their having a massive 55% off sale right now, hop on!
- BeachBeibe (18+): This person also has multiple different tiers available through Patreon and Ko-Fi and mostly focuses on anime and comic-book-themed art!
- Snailbox: Once again, a cute vibe, cute stickers, what more could you ask for?
Small Artist Shoutouts
- Fiorenza Art: My roommate is subscribed to their service, and this is a big part of the reason why I wanted to write this article! She loves her art, and is always overjoyed to get a decorative postcard or magnet for our fridge!
- DrinkingPaintArt: Their Instagram is so aesthetic, and they frequently show their junk journals for inspiration! They’re an extremely talented artist, and they have multiple tiers for subscriptions, ranging from only three to six dollars!
- LuckyDuckMailClub: Their art is so cute, and they ship/mail internationally!
I highly recommend checking out just one of these services, even if it’s just a small donation to support indie artists continually! If none of these match your vibe, keep searching, especially on Instagram. There are so many starving artists out there who would be honored to receive your subscription!
Are you going to subscribe to snail mail subscriptions? Let us know which one in the comments down below, or let us know if you’ve already subscribed to one!
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