Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Herrmann.
Hi Elizabeth, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Humanity Letterpress was founded in 2015 with little more than a dream, a single tabletop letterpress, and an unwavering commitment to the power of good design. What began as a one-person, self-taught endeavor has grown over the past decade into a full-service letterpress studio and makerspace that is proudly rooted in Tampa, Florida.
Founder and operator Elizabeth Herrmann started Humanity Letterpress Tampa with no formal training—just an idea and the will to make it work. That idea was Cards for Humanity, a design-for-social-change initiative made possible by a small grant from the University of South Florida. The goal? To fight back against the sea of poorly executed design and low-quality print production that dominated the local creative scene.
With the help of that initial grant, the first letterpress machine was purchased—an aging tabletop press that needed serious work. From that moment on, it was all hands on deck. Every piece of equipment in the shop—now a robust collection of antique machines including several Chandler & Price, Heidelberg, and Kluge printing presses, each over 100 years old—was acquired broken and brought back to life through painstaking restoration. Along the way, Elizabeth taught herself not only the craft of letterpress printing and design, but also the mechanical engineering, metalwork, and fabrication needed to get each machine running like new.
Humanity Letterpress was built from nothing but grit, passion, and a belief in the transformative power of thoughtful, intentional design. Over the years, the Cards for Humanity project has provided more than 200 local artisans and craftspeople with high-quality business cards—each one a miniature ambassador for design excellence and community pride. From tattoo artists and writers to florists, upcyclers, and architects, every collaborator helped spread the message that good design matters—and that it belongs to all of us.
The philosophy behind Cards for Humanity is simple but profound: By infiltrating a community with good design, we raise the cultural bar. Design is not just decoration—it’s communication, identity, and purpose. And when people are equipped with materials that reflect their unique value, the entire community benefits. Humanity Letterpress envisions a Tampa Bay where design is respected, local businesses are celebrated, and the visual language of the city reflects the soul of its people—not the bland, corporate sameness that plagues so many American cities.
Today, Humanity Letterpress Tampa continues to serve as a hub for creativity, collaboration, and social change. They print everything from custom business cards and wedding invitations to menus, coasters, and stationery. No job is too small—every project is treated with care, intention, and a deep respect for both the craft and client. Whether you’re a small business owner, artist, or just someone with a vision, Humanity Letterpress offers one-on-one designer collaboration to bring your ideas to life.
At Humanity Letterpress, they believe in design that leads with heart, honors craftsmanship, and inspires cultural growth. They are forward-thinking, culturally sensitive, and proudly custom. Every piece they print is not just ink on paper—it’s a testament to what happens when passion, purpose, and community come together.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Building Humanity Letterpress in Tampa has been a journey defined by grit, resilience, and an unwavering belief in the value of what Elizabeth does, even when the road has felt impossibly steep.
Every piece of equipment in her studio—massive, beautiful antique presses that are each over a century old—has arrived broken, battered, or worse. These machines are irreplaceable. Parts aren’t just unavailable—they simply don’t exist anymore. Each one had to be revived by hand, restored through a painstaking process of machining and fabrication.
The damages she’s seen are the kind that would make most people walk away. Her industrial guillotine fell down a flight of stairs, snapping the lever arm clean off. Her Chandler & Price 7×11 press arrived after suffering years of abuse in a previous factory, with internal parts so badly damaged they all had to be machined from scratch. The 10×15 Chandler & Price press—so heavy it requires a forklift to move—was dropped off a truck by a negligent mover, crushing critical parts of the press. The worst was her Heidelberg Windmill, a 3,000-lb press that tipped over, and the mover fled the scene. That incident was so egregious it made ABC Action News, where she was interviewed by Jackie Callaway to shed light on what happened.
Seeing these beautiful, historic machines damaged because of human carelessness was heartbreaking. Every single time, she had to pick herself up, find the time, money, and mental strength to figure it out, repair what others had broken, and to keep going. There were moments of deep frustration and financial pressure. There were times when the physical labor pushed Elizabeth to her absolute limits, working in non-ideal conditions just to stay on track.
Thankfully, she didn’t do it alone. Throughout this journey, she has been incredibly lucky to have people who believed in her when things were hard. She expressed a deep and sincere thank you to Christopher Chow, Jackie Callaway, John Bromley, Denise MacDonald, Susan, all of her incredible clients, and of course, the University of South Florida. Their support, guidance, and encouragement helped carry her through the darkest chapters of this process. Her community gave her the strength to keep rebuilding—again and again.
Despite every challenge, Humanity Letterpress is still standing, and growing stronger. Elizabeth is proud to share that her new makerspace will be ready by the end of this year—a space designed to honor the craft, support local creatives, and continue the mission of design as a force for cultural change.
As you know, we’re big fans of Humanity Letterpress. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Humanity Letterpress is a boutique design and letterpress studio based in Tampa, Florida, founded with a singular mission: to raise the bar for print craftsmanship, design, and cultural appreciation in our community.
They specialize in custom letterpress printing and design services, including everything from wedding invitations and business cards to stationery, menus, and specialty print goods. What sets Humanity Letterpress apart isn’t just the client-designer process and attention to detail—it’s how they work, and why they do it.
At Humanity Letterpress, every project is personal. Elizabeth works closely with each client one-on-one, from concept to completion, ensuring the final piece doesn’t just meet expectations—it deeply resonates. Whether you’re an artist, a small business owner, or a couple planning your wedding, you’ll receive custom design, thoughtful consultation, and expert craftsmanship every step of the way.
What makes Humanity Letterpress different is that it is a small, woman-owned business. Elizabeth Herrmann is not just a printer— she’s a designer, a craftsperson, and a preservationist. Letterpress is her religion. She runs five miles every morning, then works from 6AM to midnight, driven by nothing more than love for her work and Cheez-Its. This isn’t a job. It’s her calling. Hatch Show Print lead the way in Nashville and Globe Poster in Baltimore— she aims to do the same for letterpress in Tampa.
In an era of digital detachment and disposable design, Elizabeth takes pride in keeping the tradition of true letterpress printing alive. She uses antique machines to print each piece by hand with intention and beauty. You can feel the message—literally—in every deep impression pressed into thick cotton paper. That tactile experience is what makes letterpress so unique and irreplaceable.
Humanity Letterpress believes design and print have the power to elevate culture. She cares deeply about her community and takes pride in making high-quality, custom-crafted design more accessible. Based in Tampa, Humanity Letterpress offers the most affordable letterpress in Florida, without ever compromising on quality. Elizabeth’s clients see the value in craftsmanship, collaboration, and character.
Humanity Letterpress has the reputation as Tampa’s go-to letterpress studio for custom wedding invitations. If you’re tired of generic, soul-less templates from Minted or overwhelmed by steep pricing from other printers, you’ll find something different here. Elizabeth makes pieces that feel personal—pieces that make your friends jealous, and that make you feel like you’re committing a sin if you throw them away.
Above all, Elizabeth wants people to know how much she cares. Every sheet she prints is a labor of love, every design is a thoughtful collaboration, and every client is treated like family. Her door is always open to those seeking quality, originality, and a deeper connection to the art of design.
If you have a design or print challenge, she’s ready Tampa! “Let’s letterpress something unforgettable—together.”
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
There are many ways to support Humanity Letterpress and help keep the art and history of letterpress alive.
If you’d like to collaborate, commission a project, or simply start a conversation, you can reach Elizabeth directly at humanityletterpress@gmail.com. You can also explore her work and current projects on Instagram at @humanityletterpress or visit humanityletterpress.com to learn more.
You can also support by choosing to shop at local, woman-owned, small businesses in the Tampa Bay area. When you print with Humanity Letterpress, you’re investing in community, craftsmanship, and culture—not mass production.
Most importantly, letterpress isn’t a luxury reserved for the elite. At Humanity Letterpress, Elizabeth strives to make high-quality, custom letterpress printing accessible to anyone who values authentic design and considerate craftsmanship. Whether you’re a small business owner, bride, or someone with a creative vision, your project matters—and Elizabeth would love to help you bring it to life.
Keep it local. Keep history alive. Take pride in your prints.
Contact Info:
- Website: humanityletterpress.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humanityletterpress/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letterpresstampa/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/humanity-letterpress/
Image Credits
Photos by Elizabeth Herrmann @humanityletterpress Photo of Molly & Jimmy’s wedding invitation suite by Sarah Nann @sarahnannphotography
