Risotto
Risotto is a Glasgow-based Risograph printing and design studio founded in 2012, offering bespoke print services, hand-printed stationery, and the RISO CLUB monthly artist postcard subscription to independent creatives, design-conscious consumers, and premium retailers worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersGlasgow, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Risotto does
Risotto, formally Risotto Studio, is a privately-held, founder-owned Risograph printing and design studio founded in 2012 by Gabriella Marcella and operating from a single location at The Glue Factory, 22 Farnell Street, Glasgow, Scotland. The studio operates as a one-stop Risograph services provider, with a small all-women team of 1-10 employees handling design, production, and fulfillment in-house. Its core technology is the Risograph (RISO) process — a stencil duplication method using soy-based inks and a cold, low-energy print technique that produces vibrant spot colors and textures not achievable through digital printing. Risotto maintains a library of 21+ ink colors and 55+ paper stocks spanning 80gsm newsprint to 300gsm specialty papers, and offers a proprietary online Print Simulator that lets customers preview artwork on different stocks before ordering.
The business operates across five distinct revenue streams: (1) bespoke Risograph print services, where customers upload artwork and order custom prints at volume-based price breakpoints starting around £0.24 per A3 sheet; (2) product sales of hand-printed stationery, wall art prints, and screen-printed apparel priced from £20 to £69; (3) the RISO CLUB monthly subscription (£7/month UK, £8/month worldwide) delivering four limited-edition artist postcards to members across 100+ countries; (4) workshops, private consultations, and an online Domestika course on Risograph printing that has enrolled 3,492+ students; and (5) sales of blank paper and ink supplies to other RISO operators. Distribution combines a global Shopify storefront with stockist placements at Tate, Liberty London, and Selfridges, plus direct bespoke print services shipped from Glasgow.
The studio serves a hybrid customer base: independent creatives (artists, illustrators, designers) seeking affordable small-batch printing with distinctive aesthetic; design-conscious consumers purchasing hand-printed stationery and gifts; independent retailers and boutiques; music and entertainment businesses needing short-run promotional materials; and major brands (Apple, Mini, Puma, Swatch, Pinterest) commissioning creative work. The RISO CLUB subscription operates as a not-for-profit model supporting 400+ contributing artists. The company has no external institutional funding, no parent company, and no disclosed revenue.
Risotto firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Risotto
- Legal name
- Risotto Studio
- Website
- https://www.risottostudio.com/
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Risotto is a Glasgow-based Risograph printing and design studio founded in 2012, offering bespoke print services, hand-printed stationery, and the RISO CLUB monthly artist postcard subscription to independent creatives, design-conscious consumers, and premium retailers worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Risotto industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Risograph Printing Services
- NAICS
- Printing and Related Support Activities (3231), Printing (32311), Stationery Product Manufacturing (32223)
- SIC
- Service Industries For The Printing Trade (2790), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Personalized & Customized Book Print-on-Demand (Variable Data, One-to-One) (MPAJANAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Comics, Graphic Novels & Manga Print-on-Demand (MPAJANAD)
Keywords
Where Risotto is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Glasgow
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Risotto business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Direct sales of hand-printed stationery including notebooks, calendars, planners, cards, badges, wall art (A3/A4/A5 prints), and apparel (t-shirts, sweatshirts, kids clothing). Products made in-house in small batches. One-time purchase model.
- Riso Club Subscription: Monthly subscription delivering 4 limited edition artist postcard prints. Annual membership paid over 12 installments. UK at £7/month, worldwide at £8/month. Not-for-profit model directly supporting independent artists.
- Bespoke Print Services: Custom RISO printing services where customers submit artwork files for production on various paper stocks and sizes (A3, A4, A5, A6, business cards). Volume-based pricing with breakpoints at 15, 25, 49, 99, 499, and 749 units.
- Workshops & Consultations: In-person workshops at Glasgow studio covering RISO techniques, private consultation sessions, and studio tours. Also includes online Domestika course with 3,492+ enrolled students.
- Blank Paper & Supplies: Sale of paper stock by individual sheets for customers to use with their own RISO equipment. Prices range from £0.20 to £3.00 per sheet depending on paper type and weight.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Riso Club UK Membership |
| Subscription | Monthly | Riso Club World Membership |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Bespoke Print Orders |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sample Pack |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Workshop Gift Vouchers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | A3 Wall Art Prints |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Blank Paper Per Sheet |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Apparel - T-shirts |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Risotto product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Risotto is a Glasgow-based Risograph printing studio that offers bespoke custom print services on a 21+ colour soy-ink palette and 55+ paper stocks, alongside a hand-printed product range of stationery, wall art, and screen-printed apparel. It also operates RISO CLUB, a not-for-profit monthly subscription delivering limited-edition artist postcard prints from 400+ international contributors. Supporting the core are workshops, an online Domestika course, and free educational resources.
Product overview
RISOTTO is a hand-printed stationery and Risograph printing studio based in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 2012, it operates as both a print services provider and a product company. The core offering includes bespoke Risograph printing services where customers can order custom prints in various sizes (A3 to A6), paper stocks, and quantities. The product portfolio spans Stationery (calendars, notepads, notebooks, planners, cards, badges), Wall Art (A3/A4 risograph prints), Screen Printed Apparel (t-shirts, sweatshirts), and the RISO CLUB subscription service. Supporting offerings include the Print Simulator tool, Paper Library, Ink Selector, Templates & Downloads, How-To Guides, and educational workshops. The RISO CLUB is a not-for-profit monthly postcard subscription featuring international artists. Products are hand-printed in small batches using sustainable soy inks and recycled papers, with an emphasis on artisan craftsmanship as an alternative to mass production.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- RISO CLUB: A not-for-profit monthly postcard subscription featuring 4 limited edition artist prints delivered to members worldwide, at £7/month (UK) or £8/month (worldwide).
Products and services
- Bespoke Risograph Prints Custom print ordering service that lets customers upload artwork files and order risograph prints in A3, A4, A5, or A6 sizes on a chosen paper stock, with options for single or double-sided printing, ink colour selection from a 21+ colour palette, and volume-based pricing from a starting price of approximately £0.24 per A3 sheet. Targeted at creatives, small businesses, and brands needing small-batch vibrant prints.
- Risograph Sample Pack
Quantifiable outcome
- 3,492 enrolled students in online Domestika course with 100% positive reviews
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Risotto
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Risotto technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Risotto partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major and flagship.
- Creative ScotlandmajorGenerous funding support for RISO CLUB 100 retrospective exhibition and workshop program celebrating 100 issues and 400+ contributing artists.
- GF SmithmajorPaper partner for RISO CLUB 100 exhibition and workshop program. GF Smith supplies specialty papers for creative print projects.
- AppleflagshipBrand collaboration with RISOTTO founder Gabriella Marcella. Specific collaboration details not disclosed on website.
- MiniflagshipBrand collaboration with RISOTTO founder Gabriella Marcella for design projects and promotional materials.
- PumaflagshipBrand collaboration with RISOTTO founder Gabriella Marcella. Projects include public art commissions and exhibition design.
- SwatchflagshipBrand collaboration with RISOTTO founder Gabriella Marcella. Specific project details not disclosed.
- PinterestflagshipBrand collaboration with RISOTTO founder Gabriella Marcella. Related to design and visual content projects.
- V&A DundeeflagshipExhibition partner for 'Rules of Play' installation opened in 2019 - giant building blocks exploring principles of play through color and form.
- TatemajorPremium retail stockist carrying RISOTTO's hand-printed stationery and art prints in their stores.
- Liberty LondonmajorPremium department store stockist for RISOTTO's colorful stationery collections and art prints.
- SelfridgesmajorLuxury department store carrying RISOTTO's hand-printed stationery, art prints, and apparel.
- DomestikamajorOnline course platform hosting Gabriella Marcella's 'Introduction to Risograph Printing' course with 3,492 enrolled students.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Risotto competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Egg Press: Independent UK-based Risograph and letterpress print studio offering bespoke printing services, stationery, and design collaborations. Directly comparable niche specialist operating in the same RISO printing category with similar customer base of creatives and indie retailers.
- Hato Press: London-based risograph and lithograph print studio producing artist editions, books, and bespoke print services for creatives. Comparable specialist print model with global artist collaboration network and gallery-tier client base.
- A3 Press: UK risograph print studio focused on artist editions, posters, and bespoke printing. Directly comparable niche RISO service serving illustrators, designers, and cultural institutions.
- Lucky Risograph: US-based risograph studio offering custom RISO printing, stationery, and limited-edition art prints. Comparable bespoke-printing-plus-product mix targeting creative professionals.
- Cassochrome: London-based independent print studio with strong RISO/screen-print expertise producing artist editions, posters, and design collaborations for major cultural and commercial clients.
- Calverts Cooperative: London design and print cooperative offering screen and litho printing services, stationery, and design work. Comparable independent print studio model serving creatives and socially-conscious brands.
Regional players
- Dino Ovolor: Germany-based risograph print studio producing art editions and bespoke prints for artists and designers. Comparable RISO specialist serving a different primary geography (DACH region) with similar creative customer base.
Emerging players
- Rifle Paper Co. Lifestyle stationery and home décor brand selling illustrated paper goods, art prints, and gifts. Comparable artisan-style stationery/wall-art brand with similar design-conscious customer base, though much larger scale and broader distribution.
- Hey Holler: Independent print and design studio producing limited-edition risograph prints, stationery, and subscription art prints. Comparable small-scale RISO studio with a recurring subscription/community-driven model similar to RISO CLUB.
Broad incumbents
- Papier: Direct-to-consumer premium stationery brand offering customizable notebooks, planners, and cards. Comparable stationery DTC business model targeting design-conscious consumers, though operating at significantly larger scale and via digital print rather than RISO.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Risotto social profiles
Digital presenceRisotto financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Risotto leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Risotto funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Risotto 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 Risotto
What does Risotto do?
Risotto is a Glasgow-based Risograph printing studio that offers bespoke custom print services on a 21+ colour soy-ink palette and 55+ paper stocks, alongside a hand-printed product range of stationery, wall art, and screen-printed apparel. It also operates RISO CLUB, a not-for-profit monthly subscription delivering limited-edition artist postcard prints from 400+ international contributors. Supporting the core are workshops, an online Domestika course, and free educational resources.
Is Risotto a public or private company?
Risotto is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Risotto founded?
Risotto was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Risotto based?
Risotto is headquartered in Glasgow, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Risotto make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are riso Club Subscription, bespoke Print Services, workshops & Consultations and blank Paper & Supplies.
Who are Risotto's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Egg Press, Hato Press, A3 Press, Lucky Risograph, Cassochrome and Calverts Cooperative. Dino Ovolor is listed as a regional player. Emerging players are Rifle Paper Co. and Hey Holler. Papier is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Risotto have an API?
No public API is recorded for Risotto.
What industry is Risotto in?
Risotto's product category is Risograph Printing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJANAH, Personalized & Customized Book Print-on-Demand (Variable Data, One-to-One), with a secondary code of MPAJANAD, Comics, Graphic Novels & Manga Print-on-Demand. Its NAICS code is 3231 and its SIC code is 2790.