Carta Paglia – The Badge for STMT X Italy

It all began during our first STMT X Italy sourcing trip back in 2013 – my obsession with squash-colored paper placements. During my first meal in Milan, I noticed ‘em. Rich in color, tactile to the touch, and a crisp sound when rubbing between my fingers. I noticed the same placemats at the second spot I dined at – and at the next. This time though, the placements were turnt up a notch – the restaurant printed their story and contact information on them.

Didn’t matter the type of restaurant, I kept spying ‘em everywhere! From fancy spots with custom screen-printed graphics,

to hipster spots makin’ them part of their vibe,

to mom-and-pop spots using ‘em because they wouldn’t dare break from tradition. Some restaurants even had cutlery envelopes made out of the same paper. Yup, fancy love.

Totally forgot about these placements until I returned last year for our second Italy Kit. This time around I also visited Rome and sure enough, I spied them everywhere. I mentioned the placements to Sylvia. She knew exactly what I was talking about – carta paglia!

I explained the Italy Kit concept, Feast or Famine, and that I wanted to purchase a phat stack. Silvia lit up and grabbed her jacket, and then we were off! She knew where to buy the placements AND wanted to take me to the shop. Thanks to Silvia, we were able to secure a stash to bring back for the STMT X Italy Kit badge!

oxxo, Hen

SHOP STMT X ITALY