Where stationery is a lifestyle

Korea Herald

03-04-2025

Inventario 2025 fair curates tools of everyday life as art
The bustling halls of Coex in Seoul are alive with the sounds of the soft scratch of pens on paper this weekend as 29CM, the e-commerce platform known for its curated lifestyle products, hosts its first-ever offline stationery fair, Inventario: 2025.
The event, which runs through Sunday, reflects a significant shift in the stationery market -- moving beyond traditional office supplies to embrace products that reflect personal tastes and creative expression.
The name "Inventario" -- taken from the Spanish word for "inventory" -- gives a hint at the spirit of the event: a catalog, an archive, a living collection of stories told through the tools we use daily.
Inside, it's a creative playground where visitors can explore how stationery has evolved from simple necessities to customized, lifestyle-defining pieces. What was once just a pencil or a planner is now a way to communicate personal style.
Curated by 29CM and Point of View, the premium stationery store, Inventario: 2025 showcases an array of over 69 brands -- ranging from well-established giants to rising stars in the stationery world.
Walking through the exhibit feels like entering a gallery of tactile art -- each booth a curated masterpiece, each product a conversation starter. There's an overwhelming sense that these aren't just tools, but objects of personal identity.
Point of View, known as the 'stationery shop for adults,' has worked with 29CM for five years, during which their partnership has seen significant growth — sales surged more than tenfold in 2024. The growing demand for personalized stationery is evident, with 29CM reporting a threefold increase in stationery sales from January to March 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. The majority of this demand comes from women aged 25 to 39, who are increasingly using stationery as a form of personal expression.
The fair is not just about browsing beautiful products. Inventario: 2025 aims to offer an interactive playground for creativity.
Visitors can dive into hands-on activities from creating art pieces, or testing their stamping skills at the 'Layers Together' zone. Here, five celebrated illustrators invite attendees to create their own pieces using their stamp designs. The room is buzzing with energy as visitors experiment with textures, colors and compositions — transforming ordinary paper into personal masterpieces.
One of the fair's most intriguing features is Point of View's special exhibition, which offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creative processes of contemporary artists. The tools used by 10 prominent creators including Choi Jin-young -- pens, brushes and pencils -- are on display, each telling a story of how stationery plays an integral role in artistic vision.
Exclusive collaborations are another highlight. Global Chemical, a venerable brand with over 60 years of history, has teamed up with the up-and-coming Kitty Bunny Pony to release a limited-edition, eight-color pencil set. This isn't your childhood crayon box -- it's a reimagined childhood nostalgia, designed with adult tastes in mind.
In another collaboration, Hwarang, a local eraser manufacturer with more than 70 years of experience, has partnered with OIMU, a brand reinterpreting Korean culture through modern design, to create a redesigned jumbo rubber eraser with Korean-inspired illustrations.
Several popular brands are also featured at the fair. Mohs, a design studio known for its bold geometric patterns and vibrant color schemes, showcases products, including diaries and cup coasters, that have gained significant popularity.
Warmgrey Tail, a brand inspired by nature, is also on display, offering unique illustrations for items such as posters, fabric goods and tableware. Their Bunny Bunny Face Towel has become a popular gift item, while their products continue to resonate with consumers seeking playful and distinctive designs for their living spaces.
OIMU, a brand that merges traditional Korean cultural values with modern design, has also garnered attention for its products, such as bookmarks made from traditional hanbok lining fabric and incense sticks. OIMU recently collaborated with the Netflix series 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' in its merchandise.