Paper Mills
Paper Mills is a Brooklyn-based private design house, founded in 2005 by Amy Mills, that manufactures custom hand-printed wallpapers and fabrics. It sells exclusively to the interior design trade through authorized showrooms across North America and Europe.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Paper Mills does
Paper Mills, Inc. is a Brooklyn-founded private design house established in 2005 by Amy Mills that manufactures and supplies custom wallpapers and fabrics. The company's core production method is hand block printing, with selected designs also offered via digital printing; substrates include a post-consumer poly cellulose (recycled paper) non-woven ground and, for commercial use, Type II vinyl. Water-based, zero-VOC paints and a proprietary water reclamation system that reduces consumption to under five gallons per week support a sustainability-led manufacturing profile.
The product portfolio spans wallpaper (Lotus, Checkmate, Little Havana, Olivia, Vales, Desert Rose, Sedimentary, among others) and fabric (block-printed and embroidered on Belgian linen from partner mills worldwide). All designs can be custom color-matched to designer-supplied palettes (Benjamin Moore, Farrow and Ball), and bespoke pattern development is available, with custom strike-offs priced at $220 per yard and lead times of 4-6 weeks for standard production. Class A fire-rated and Type II commercial-grade variants extend the addressable market into hospitality and contract specifications.
The business operates exclusively on a trade-only model: products are sold to interior designers and design professionals through a network of authorized showrooms spanning ten US design centers and international agents in Paris, Madrid, London, and Germany, supplemented by direct trade accounts for unserved territories. Pricing is unit-based with no recurring or subscription economics. The company remains founder-owned and bootstrapped with 11-50 employees, and has announced a planned direct-to-consumer retail site as a future channel expansion.
Paper Mills firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Paper Mills
- Legal name
- Paper Mills, Inc.
- Website
- https://papermills.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Paper Mills is a Brooklyn-based private design house, founded in 2005 by Amy Mills, that manufactures custom hand-printed wallpapers and fabrics. It sells exclusively to the interior design trade through authorized showrooms across North America and Europe.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Paper Mills industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wallcoverings and Textiles
- NAICS
- Paper Mills (32212), Converted Paper Product Manufacturing (3222), Paper Manufacturing (322)
- SIC
- Paper Mills (2621), Converted Paper & Paperboard Prods (No Contaners/Boxes) (2670)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Decor & Laminating Paper Manufacturing (Furniture, Flooring, Impregnated Papers) (IMAMAEAE)
Keywords
Where Paper Mills is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices13 records
Markets served
Paper Mills business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Custom Wallpaper Sales: Hand printed and digitally printed wallpapers, customizable to customer color specifications. Lead time 4-6 weeks for standard production, 2 weeks for custom strike-offs of existing patterns.
- Fabric Sales: Fabrics manufactured by partner mills worldwide, featuring block printing and embroidery. Some customization available for orders over 100 yards.
- Custom Strike-off Services: Custom color strike-offs provided at $220 per yard for color approval. Type II vinyl goods available with 5 week lead time for custom orders.
- Trade Account Direct Sales: Direct ordering for authorized trade professionals who set up trade accounts. Minimum order requirements typically 25 yards for wallpaper.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Wallpaper Production |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Custom Strike-off (Existing Patterns) |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Type II Vinyl Custom Orders |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | ICFF Show Special Pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Paper Mills product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Paper Mills manufactures and supplies custom and stock wallpapers and fabrics using hand block printing as the core production method, supplemented by digital printing for selected designs. Products are made on post-consumer recycled poly cellulose non-woven substrates with water-based, no-VOC paints, and include customization services for color matching (Benjamin Moore, Farrow and Ball, and other color decks) and custom pattern development. The company also produces commercial-grade Type II vinyl wallcoverings in 54-inch double-width goods for high-traffic installations.
Product overview
Paper Mills is a design house specializing in custom wallpaper and fabric manufacturing, founded in 2005 in Brooklyn by Amy Mills. The company offers two core product lines: wallpaper and fabric. Wallpaper products include hand-printed designs (the core of production) and digitally printed options, with non-woven and Type II vinyl substrates available. Fabric offerings include block printed and embroidered designs on Belgian linen and other materials. The company provides customization services including custom color matching using color deck references and custom pattern development from customer designs. Products are sold primarily to the trade through showrooms across North America, Europe, and other international locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Wallpaper Collections: Hand-printed and digitally printed wallpapers including Lotus, Checkmate, Little Havana, Shanti, Artemis, Olivia, Pablo, Kyoto, Topo Hum, Sirtaj, W. 12th St., Zebra Fern, Desert Rose, Vales, Tania, Nani, Kelp Tea Paper, Strata, Quartzite, Sedimentary
- Fabric Collections
Products and services
- Wallpaper Custom and standard hand-printed and digitally printed wallpaper designs on post-consumer recycled poly cellulose non-woven substrate, with optional Type II vinyl grounds for high-traffic areas, available to interior designers and trade professionals through authorized showrooms.
- Fabric Custom and standard fabric designs, including block-printed and embroidered options, manufactured by partner mills worldwide with dye-lot accuracy, available to trade professionals with customization possible on orders over 100 yards.
- Custom Wallpaper and Color Matching Service Custom color matching service against customer-provided color references (Benjamin Moore, Farrow and Ball, or other color decks), plus custom pattern development from customer designs, with 2-week strike-off lead time for existing patterns.
- Type II Wall Coverings Commercial-grade Type II vinyl wallcoverings meeting Type II standards, available as a ready-made VALES pattern or custom on all print designs in 54-inch double-width goods, intended for high-traffic commercial and hospitality installations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Water usage reduced to less than 5 gallons per week through proprietary reclamation system
Companies that use Paper Mills
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Paper Mills technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Paper Mills partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Studio Four NYCcoreAuthorized showroom in New York at 900 Broadway, Suite 204. Serves as primary showroom for the New York market.
- M-GeoughcoreAuthorized showroom in Boston at One Design Center Place, Suite 350.
- Travis and CompanycoreAuthorized showroom in Atlanta at 351 Peachtree Hills Ave. NE, Suite 128.
- John Rosselli & AssociatescoreAuthorized showroom in Dania Beach, Florida at 1855 Griffin Road, Suite C-100.
- Michael - ClearycoreAuthorized showroom with locations in Chicago (Merchandise Mart) and Washington DC.
- E.C. DickencoreAuthorized showroom in Dallas at 1025 North Stemmons Freeway, Suite 260.
- De Cioccio ShowroomcoreAuthorized showroom in Cincinnati at 700 W. Pete Rose Way #4F.
- Jules & JimcoreInternational showroom in Paris, France at 1 Rue Therese, 75001.
- Macarena SaizcoreInternational showroom in Madrid, Spain at Valazquez, 115-bajo 5.
- Rosebank FabricscoreUK agent representation through Rosebank Fabrics, agent Simeon Turnbull.
- Elan CollectionscoreLas Vegas showroom at 7711 W. Post Road, opened March 2016.
- Wesley MoonminorInterior designer based in New York, New York, featured on Paper Mills resources page as recommended designer.
- Bella Mancini DesignminorInterior designer based in New York, New York, featured on Paper Mills resources page as recommended designer.
- Cloth & KindminorInterior design firm with locations in Georgia and Michigan, featured on Paper Mills resources page.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Paper Mills competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Rebel Walls: Scandinavian wallpaper design house offering designer-led mural and pattern wallpapers with custom and standard lines. Comparable on design-house product positioning though more digitally-native in production.
Broad incumbents
- Pierre Frey: French heritage textile and wallpaper house producing premium printed fabrics and wallcoverings for designers and luxury hospitality. Comparable on premium trade positioning, European distribution, and fabric/wallpaper dual offering.
- Schumacher (Schumacher & Co.): Major US heritage brand offering premium wallpapers and fabrics to interior designers through showrooms. Much larger and broader catalog, but the closest scaled incumbent operating in Paper Mills' exact trade and product lanes.
Direct peers
- Eskayel: US-based wallpaper design house with proprietary patterns, sustainable substrates, and custom capabilities. Comparable on design-house positioning, custom orders, and sustainable manufacturing story.
- Adelphi Paper Hangings: US wallpaper manufacturer specializing in hand-printed and historically-inspired wallcoverings, trade distribution. Direct analog on craft hand-printing production method and small-team operation.
- Calico Wallpaper: US-based design house producing custom, hand-crafted wallpaper with bespoke patterns and trade showroom distribution. Closest US analog on small-batch craft manufacturing and designer trade model.
- Cole & Son: Historic British wallpaper maker known for hand-printed and design-led wallcoverings distributed through the trade. Directly comparable to Paper Mills on hand-printing heritage, trade showroom distribution, and premium designer positioning.
- House of Hackney: British design house producing wallpaper and fabrics with bold printed patterns, sold through trade showrooms and DTC. Comparable on dual wallpaper/fabric product line, trade channel, and design-led positioning.
- Farrow & Ball: Premium British paint and wallpaper brand serving interior designers with custom color services and a trade showroom network. Highly comparable on custom color matching, sustainability narrative, and trade-led GTM.
- Hygge & West: Wallpaper design house offering designer collaborations and custom prints sold through trade and direct channels. Similar scale and designer-led product positioning to Paper Mills.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Paper Mills social profiles
Digital presencePaper Mills compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Paper Mills financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Paper Mills leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Paper Mills funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Paper Mills M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Paper Mills
What does Paper Mills do?
Paper Mills manufactures and supplies custom and stock wallpapers and fabrics using hand block printing as the core production method, supplemented by digital printing for selected designs. Products are made on post-consumer recycled poly cellulose non-woven substrates with water-based, no-VOC paints, and include customization services for color matching (Benjamin Moore, Farrow and Ball, and other color decks) and custom pattern development. The company also produces commercial-grade Type II vinyl wallcoverings in 54-inch double-width goods for high-traffic installations.
Is Paper Mills a public or private company?
Paper Mills is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Paper Mills founded?
Paper Mills was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Paper Mills based?
Paper Mills is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Paper Mills make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Custom Wallpaper Sales are the primary driver. The others are fabric Sales, custom Strike-off Services and trade Account Direct Sales.
Who are Paper Mills's main competitors?
Rebel Walls is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Pierre Frey and Schumacher (Schumacher & Co.). Direct peers are Eskayel, Adelphi Paper Hangings, Calico Wallpaper, Cole & Son, House of Hackney, Farrow & Ball and Hygge & West.
Does Paper Mills have an API?
No public API is recorded for Paper Mills.
What industry is Paper Mills in?
Paper Mills's product category is Wallcoverings and Textiles. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAMAEAE, Decor & Laminating Paper Manufacturing (Furniture, Flooring, Impregnated Papers). Its NAICS code is 32212 and its SIC code is 2621.