The Amarillo Stationery Story
The roots of Amarillo Stationery begin with my being born in Cuernavaca Morelos, Mexico and is shaped by a lifetime love of pen to paper, process, and the small rituals that can make everyday life feel more considered.
When COVID slowed everything down, I found myself returning to these objects and rituals in a more intentional way.
I co-hosted a Spanish-speaking podcast about stationery; a small space to talk about the objects we use every day and tend to overlook. The notebooks we carry around. The pens we reach for. The analog tools that keep our ideas in motion.
Researching the subjects and items featured on these episodes kept me coming back to the same question:
What if?
What if we paid closer attention to what we use?
What if we looked more closely at who makes it?
What if there was more out there that we weren’t seeing on the shelves of stationery stores and websites?
That question eventually led me back to Mexico. First through research, then through connection. I started finding makers whose work was thoughtful, inventive, and full of personality, but often without an international platform.
Amarillo Stationery grew from that moment. It became a way to share those makers more broadly, highlight their work, and build a community around curiosity, design, and everyday objects that feel good to live with.
As the relationships deepened, so did our partnerships. Collaboration became a natural next step. Today, alongside curating, I work directly with makers to develop proprietary pieces—stationery, pens, ink, and objects that reflect both their craft, our brand, and a shared point of view on what these items can be.
With community support over years, the brand has evolved. While it began with a focus on Mexico and Latin America, it organically expanded outward. The lens became less about geography and more about values. Now, I am seeking out makers wherever they are, whose work reflects practicality, intention, and a sense of quiet delight. As Amarillo continues to grow, we’ll seek out new markets to have the same conversations about design, while still staying grounded in our origins.
Perhaps the biggest joy is that Amarillo Stationery has moved beyond the website and into the communities and cities where our customers live. Meeting so many of you at pen and stationery shows has been one of the most meaningful parts of this journey. There’s something so special about watching our pieces be a part of your lives and knowing we’re growing alongside you. It drives us to keep curious about what is next for the brand.
Because at its core, Amarillo is still driven by the original question—what if?
What if we choose things more intentionally?
What if we pay attention to where they come from and who makes them?
What if something as simple as paper and pen can connect us more directly to our ideas?
And maybe most importantly,
What if these objects can bring us closer to other cultures, and each other?
It will be a pleasure to keep exploring these questions with you. It allows the world of Amarillo Stationery to stay bright, open, and full of possibility. Always reaching toward new ideas, new makers, and new ways of seeing.