# Hallmark Cards Inc\. is the Largest Maker of Greeting Cards in the United States

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- Published: 2023-11-08
- Author: Nelson Ayers
- Categories: [Business & Worth](https://33rdsquare.com/category/games/worth/)

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Greeting cards are a beloved tradition for many people. Whether it‘s to celebrate milestones, holidays, or just say "thinking of you," sending a greeting card is still a popular way to connect. So out of the many greeting card manufacturers, which company comes out on top in the US market? By far, the leading producer and distributor of greeting cards in America is **Hallmark Cards, Inc.**

Based in Kansas City, Missouri, Hallmark dominates the US greeting card industry. With around 50-60% market share and almost double the annual revenues of its nearest competitor, Hallmark is truly the greeting card leader in the United States. Let‘s take a deep dive into this iconic, family-owned company.

## An In-Depth Look at Industry Giant Hallmark Cards Inc.

Hallmark has shaped the modern greeting card landscape ever since Joyce C. Hall sold his first postcards out of a shoebox in 1910. Over 110 years later, the company still maintains its headquarters and major operations in Kansas City, now known affectionately as "Hallmark Town."

Some key facts and figures about this greeting card powerhouse:

- **Founded**: 1910 in Kansas City, MO
- **Founder**: Joyce C. Hall
- **CEO**: Mike Perry
- **Annual revenues**: over $4 billion
- **Employees**: Around 30,000 worldwide
- **Market share**: 50-60% of the US greeting card industry
- **Retail presence**: Cards sold in over 30,000 stores nationwide
- **Fun fact**: Hallmark owns over 29,000 unique card designs and produces over 20,000 new designs per year!

It‘s astonishing to think about the sheer variety and volume of greeting cards pumping out of Hallmark‘s factories each year – over _20,000 new designs annually!_ No wonder they have such dominant market share.

Beyond greetings cards, Hallmark also produces related products like:

- Gift wrap
- Ornaments and home decor
- Plush stuffed animals
- Photo albums and frames
- Calendars
- Party supplies
- Clothing and accessories
- And more!

But at their core, Hallmark is all about designing, manufacturing, and selling high quality greeting cards for every occasion.

### A Very Merry History of Hallmark Cards

Hallmark founder Joyce C. Hall named his fledgling business after himself. The "Hall Mark" soon became synonymous with quality, craftsmanship, and creativity.

Some major milestones and innovations in Hallmark‘s illustrious history:

- **1910**: Joyce C. Hall starts selling postcards in Kansas City, MO
- **1915**: Begins producing Christmas and Valentine‘s Day greeting cards
- **1928**: Launches personalization services for cards
- **1932**: Opens first retail store selling Hallmark cards
- **1944**: Debuts first national advertising campaign
- **1950s**: Expands from cards into gift wrap, ornaments, and beyond
- **1984**: Launches Shoebox humor card brand
- **1996**: Sells first eCards on Hallmark.com
- **2018**: Acquires Papyrus stationery and gift brand

Hallmark pioneered the idea of Christmas and seasonal greeting cards back in 1915. Their first national ad in 1944 cemented Hallmark as a household name. And they continue to innovate, whether it‘s humor cards or digital eCards. Hallmark also smartly expanded beyond just paper cards, getting into gift wrap, ornaments, and other related categories.

### Manufacturing Hallmark: High Standards from Start to Finish

Hallmark takes pride in designing and manufacturing their own greeting cards in America. The majority of Hallmark cards sold in the US are designed and made at their corporate headquarters.

Hallmark owns over 115 printing presses! Each card goes through a detailed production process:

- **Artistic design**: Over 700 professional artists and designers create unique card designs annually.
- **Editing**: Each card is scrutinized by the editing department who reviews every detail.
- **High-quality paper**: Cards are printed on thick, heavyweight paper from sustainable sources.
- **Printing and cutting**: Their presses apply designs with up to 12 colors. Then, precision cutting machines cut each card.
- **Packaging and checking**: Cards get boxed, wrapped with ribbon, sealed, and hand-checked for quality.
- **Warehouses and distribution**: Efficient distribution networks deliver cards to over 30,000 retail locations.

Hallmark controls the entire card creation process from artistic design to packaged product. And they‘ve got it down to a science! This vertical integration enables them to achieve unparalleled quality control. It also gives them an advantage over competitors who outsource steps or import cards.

### Hallmark‘s Major Brands and Bestsellers

With tens of thousands of card designs and varieties, Hallmark organizes their massive selection under a couple dozen major brands:

- **Hallmark:** Their core brand, spanning classic to contemporary styles.
- **Shoebox**: Launched in the 1980s, Shoebox focuses on lighthearted, humorous cards.
- **Mahogany**: Upscale cards marketed to African American consumers.
- **DaySpring**: A Christian-themed brand with religious and spiritual cards.
- **Crayola**: Collaborates with Crayola crayons for colorful, kid-friendly cards.
- **Papyrus**: Known for elegant stationery, gift wrap, and upscale paper products.
- **Hoops&Yoyo**: Quirky animated characters featured on hundreds of cards.
- **Rainbow Brite**: Vintage ‘80s brand revived with colorful sparkle cards.
- **Peanuts**: Partnership with Charles Schulz‘s iconic Peanuts cartoons and characters.

Within these brands, Hallmark is constantly releasing new designs based on consumer demand and trends. Their most popular everyday card-giving occasions are:

1. Birthdays
2. Sympathy/Bereavement
3. Thank You
4. Weddings
5. Thinking of You
6. Get Well Soon
7. New Babies
8. Congratulations

Seasonal and holiday cards are another major seller. In total, Hallmark produces over _1.5 billion_ Christmas cards every year alone. Their seasonal cards for Valentine‘s Day, Mother‘s Day, Halloween, and other holidays are also bestsellers year after year.

### Hallmark‘s Competition: American Greetings & Others

The only other greeting card maker than comes anywhere close to Hallmark in size and scale is American Greetings. But with "only" an estimated 35-40% market share compared to Hallmark‘s 50-60%, they‘re a distant second place. Beyond these two giants, the US greeting card industry is highly fragmented with lots of smaller players.

Let‘s look at who else is making greeting cards in America:

- **American Greetings**: Private family-owned company based in Cleveland, OH. Key brands include Carlton Cards, Papyrus, and Blue Mountain eCards.
- **CSS Industries**: Publicly traded maker of cards/gift wrap. Brands include Paper Magic, McCall‘s, Trimark.
- **Gibson Greetings**: One of the oldest card makers, founded in 1850. Known for classic styles and boxed sets.
- **Avanti Press**: Leading risque and humor card publisher. Recently acquired by American Greetings.
- **Simon Elvin**: UK-based designer of upscale handmade cards. Popular in the US market.
- **Leanin‘ Tree**: Specializes in Western, cowboy, and wildlife-themed cards. Based in Colorado.
- **Current, Inc.**: Trendy, irreverent cards often found in gift shops. Based in Seattle, WA.
- **Lovepop**: 3D pop-up paper art cards is their specialty. Based in Boston, MA.

Hallmark and American Greetings stand head and shoulders above the rest. But there are many other wonderful greeting card designers, manufacturers, and retailers throughout the US. Independent card shops and paper boutiques are also popular shopping destinations.

Next, let‘s dive deeper into American Greetings, the perennial second place finisher in the race to be America‘s top greeting card brand.

## American Greetings: History and Profile of the Second Largest Greeting Card Company

While American Greetings earns a distant second behind Hallmark for US greeting card market share, it remains a major force within the industry. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, American Greetings supplies greeting cards, ecards, gift wrap, party goods, and other paper products.

Tracing its history back to 1906, here‘s an overview of American Greetings:

- **Founded**: 1906 in Cleveland, OH
- **Founder**: Jacob Sapirstein
- **CEO**: Joe Arcuri
- **Employees**: Around 4,500 worldwide
- **Annual revenues**: Approximately $1.5 billion
- **Market share**: 35-40% of US greeting card sales
- **Retail presence**: Cards sold in over 100,000 retail locations

American Greetings might not have the same public brand recognition or scale as Hallmark. But they still produce a staggering range of greeting card varieties under dozens of popular brands.

### The Journey from a Small Shop to an Industry Leader

The story of American Greetings starts in 1906 when Polish immigrant Jacob Sapirstein opened a small stationery and card shop in Cleveland, Ohio. Some key events in the company‘s early days:

- **1906**: Jacob Sapirstein starts a small stationary store
- **1929**: Sapirstein and his three sons incorporate as American Greetings Publishers
- **1934**: Releases first everyday non-holiday greeting cards
- **1938**: Begins selling greeting cards wholesale to retailers
- **1944**: Opens first Midwest greeting card plant
- **1952**: Annual revenues surpass $1 million
- **1958**: Goes public and trades on the NYSE; sales hit $10 million

Sapirstein built the business steadily through the early 1900s. As the company grew, they were innovators in mass producing everyday greeting cards for birthdays, anniversaries, and more. Expanding nationally in the ‘50s and ‘60s, American Greetings became Hallmark‘s top rival.

### A Massive Collection of Card Brands and Products

Like Hallmark, American Greetings organizes its vast array of greeting card styles under dozens of brands:

- **Carlton Cards**: One of its most popular every day and seasonal card brands.
- **Papyrus**: High-end stationery and paper goods, acquired from Schurman Retail Group.
- **Recycled Paper Greetings**: Eco-friendly cards made with recycled paper.
- **Amberlyn**: Handmade feminine cards with lace, glitter, and bright colors.
- **Plus Mark**: Budget-friendly boxed cards and gift sets.
- **Just For You**: Customizable photo cards and address labels.
- **The Oatmeal**: Irreverent illustrated cards under license from popular webcomic.
- **Love Pop**: 3D pop-up cards handmade in Boston.

In addition to paper greeting cards, American Greetings sells digital cards, gift wrap, party goods, stuffed plush toys, and more. They have several manufacturing facilities in Kentucky and Arkansas producing millions of cards per year.

One of American Greetings‘ smartest moves was acquiring Blue Mountain Arts in 1999. This gave them BlueMountain.com, one of the most popular eCard sites. Overall, they do a good job appealing to various demographics and price points through their diverse mix of brands.

### American Greetings vs. Hallmark: Comparing the Top Players

So how exactly do American Greetings and Hallmark differ in their offerings and styles? Here‘s a quick brand comparison:

|  | Hallmark | American Greetings |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Card themes | Classic, elegant, traditional | Humorous, quirky, colorful |
| Price range | $3 – $8 | $1 – $5 |
| Manufacturing | Vertically integrated | Mix of owned plants and 3rd parties |
| Store distribution | Gift shops, department stores | Grocery, big box, drug stores |
| Brand perception | Premium, high-end | Mass-market, mid-range |

In a nutshell, Hallmark tends to focus more on premium, classic card designs sold primarily through card shops and department stores. Their prices skew higher.

American Greetings has more mass-market funny and colorful cards mostly sold in supermarkets, pharmacies, and big box stores. Their brand is considered more accessible and budget-friendly.

But both companies make fantastic cards! It just depends what you‘re looking for.

## The Greeting Card Industry Remains Surprisingly Robust

In the digital age, some might assume greeting cards are a dying industry. But even with competition from ecards, texts and social media, greeting card sales remain strong year after year:

- Americans purchase **6 billion greeting cards** per year, generating around **$7 billion** in annual retail sales.
- Over **65% of US households** report sending greeting cards regularly.
- Holiday cards account for over **1.5 billion** units sold every year.
- Christmas is the single biggest card holiday, with Hallmark producing enough to **circle the globe over 6 times.**
- Total annual revenues for the top four card makers (Hallmark, American Greetings, CSS, and Avanti Press) exceed **$6 billion**.
- Unit sales dipped 4-5% during COVID-19 shutdowns but have rebounded close to pre-pandemic levels.

While millennials and Gen Z consumers send fewer paper greeting cards on average, they‘re still a preferred way to connect for baby boomers and Gen X. Hallmark and American Greetings are also innovating with digital cards, mobile apps, and text-to-video services that blend digital with physical cards.

Overall, the data shows greeting cards are still cherished by many for birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, condolences, and all life‘s occasions. The tactile feel of a card and heartfelt personal message simply can‘t be replicated digitally. Based on strong ongoing sales, greeting cards will continue bringing people together for years to come.

## Final Thoughts on the Greeting Card Industry

In closing, Hallmark Cards reigns supreme as the largest and most iconic greeting card maker in America. Their vertically integrated manufacturing, high quality standards, talented artists, and incredible variety have made Hallmark the brand most associated with greeting cards for over 100 years.

American Greetings earns second place with its broad lineup of paper and digital cards. They smartly compete through mass retail channels, humor, and budget-friendly pricing. While not Hallmark‘s equal, they remain a major force.

Beyond these two giants, hundreds of smaller card makers, designers, printers, and retailers thrive catering to all styles and consumer segments. Greeting cards have withstood the digital disruption better than many paper communication products. With billions of cards exchanged annually, it‘s clear they still occupy a cherished place in American culture.

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