33 www.printmonthly.co.uk Issue 360 - May | June 2026 ground story to tell, for instance a film company was using us for hot foiling invitations. This came about after being sent an eco-paper swatch showing the full range of all of the quirky papers we could now offer print or embellishment on. We now produce some of their event menus using 100% agricultural waste. “Another client which is a stationery company uses our recycled paper for its wedding invitations or table name cards and get the bride and guests to guess what the paper is made from. The Elephant Poo paper is by far the most popular.” Dynamic Print offers a wide variety of different recycled papers including Agricultural Waste, Coffee Husk Waste, 100% Cotton Fibres, Confetti & Recycled Paper, Blades of Grass & Recycled Fibres, Seaweed (which smells of seaweed), as well as a range of services and products like eco-friendly signage, carbon capture, and paper sleeves for flowers. Today the company operates with five team members, which includes self-employed designers, printers, and social media professionals. Mark Critten, who has a wealth of experience on all the vintage machinery, has been with the company since 1996. When it comes to Smith’s favourite thing about the company, she says it’s “100% vintage machinery”. She adds: “I’ve always been captivated by how, with the right pressure and dwell, each press can apply intricate embellishments. I’m also passionate about paper, my nickname by friends has always been Sarah Paper Smith. I get genuinely excited when I find a new one that has just been launched. For example, the seaweed paper that actually carries the scent of seaweed was definitely a first for me.” Smith says that the company has nine machines that date back to the 1940s and 50s, meaning that not every job is suited to the presses, such as blind debossing in which Dynamic Print insist on chunky fonts in order to get the best debossing results. This then leads to the business largely doing hot foiling which leaves a minor deboss on the card. When it comes to working with its unique papers, Dynamic Print is able to use the experience of its staff and a “very understanding Konica Minolta technician” to offer prints on paper made from biproducts like seaweed, rose petal, cotton, grass, bamboo, and “ellie poo”. When it comes to what Smith is most proud of, she says she is lucky to have several important moments she can think of during her 37-year career. “Number one would be keeping Dynamic Print going for the past eight years despite many people doubting me from the start, overcoming issues like the pandemic was especially challenging. This leads me to number two – if I had not been the lady who introduced seeded paper to the print industry, I wouldn’t be able to draw on my knowledge to then use this product to help keep the business from collapsing. Number three would be helping pioneer the Carbon Capture scheme with Premier Paper back in 2012 after being headhunted in 2016 to a paper mill in Austria. “Jump forward to 2022 to Dynamic Print being the first company to work with Norwich BID, which is an organisation that helps companies upcycle their waste to other businesses – for example we sent our paper waste to the Norwich Puppet Theatre to make scenery and puppets.” A recent stand out moment for Smith was when Dynamic Print turned part of its industrial estate unit into an eco-conscious garden which is filled with flowers, trees, vegetables, and mini ponds. This led to Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Wild East, and National Geographic reaching out to Dynamic Print after seeing the work the company had done, and the effect it was having on the area and local wildlife. Speaking about the future, Smith says: “We are now starting to turn away work that doesn’t suit our presses, which is very frustrating, as I don’t always have to time to outsource and find reliable printers. I would love to explore the idea of a collaboration which could result in a merger, allowing me to go back to doing what I do best and that is selling… Part time at least.” It is understandable that Smith sees a future in merging or combining her strengths with others – as many print businesses have done in recent years in order to best utilise resources and solutions. Regardless, it is clear that the beliefs and ethics of Dynamic Print are firmly rooted, and it will be very hard to disrupt the solid foundation that both Philips and Smith have established with their classic presses and eco-friendly products. COMPANY SPOTLIGHT | DYNAMIC PRINT I’ve always been captivated by how, with the right pressure and dwell, each press can apply intricate embellishments ▲ Dynamic Print specialises in hot foiling, die-cutting, and letterpress printing ▼ The company prides itself on its passion, collabaration, and quality
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