SAMWON PAPER

What SAMWON PAPER does

SAMWON PAPER (삼원페이퍼) is a Seoul-based specialty paper distributor founded in 1990 and rebranded from Samwon Special Paper in September 2025 to mark its 35th anniversary. The company supplies graphic design papers and industrial papers to package and graphic designers, brand owners and publishers, and printers and production houses across South Korea. Its catalog spans 185+ SKUs across graphic, premium, color, kraft, industrial, eco-friendly, and synthetic categories, with proprietary texture-focused lines including Super Touch (silk-soft uncoated), Super Wild (raw natural texture), and Just Fine, alongside a dedicated SAVE EARTH portfolio of non-wood fiber papers such as Bamboo Pack (bamboo), Sparto (esparto grass), Coffee Paper (upcycled coffee waste), and Earthpact (sugarcane bagasse, 52 variants), all backed by FSC® certification.

The business operates a multi-channel distribution model combining direct B2B sales via account management and email inquiry, a Naver Smart Store branded as Paper More (페이퍼모어) for SMB and consumer purchases, and a flagship physical+digital experience space called The Paper Lab (더페이퍼랩) — located in G-TOWER, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul and connected to Gunja Station — where designers can physically touch, sample, and mock-up papers. SAMWON PAPER extends its brand through Samwon Gallery (rotating design exhibitions including TDC Seoul and an annual Samwon Art Sponsorship program) and a Samwon Scholarship Foundation, with a monthly wallpaper content program providing ongoing design-community engagement. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and follows an inquiry- and quote-based B2B process, supplemented by direct online purchasing through Paper More and The Paper Lab online shop.

In the 24 months prior to 2026 the company has executed a headquarters relocation (May 2024), a 35th-anniversary rebrand (September 2025), a delivery service expansion (July 2025), and a renewed The Paper Lab online shopping mall (March 2026), consistent with reinvestment into channel and brand rather than geographic or product-line expansion beyond Korea. The company is privately held with no disclosed revenue, funding history, or institutional investors.

Name

SAMWON PAPER

Legal name

SAMWONPAPER LTD.

Website

https://samwonpaper.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

SAMWON PAPER is a Seoul-based specialty paper distributor founded in 1990, supplying 185+ graphic, industrial, and eco-friendly non-wood fiber papers to package designers, brand owners, and printers in South Korea through direct B2B sales, the Paper More e-commerce store, and The Paper Lab designer experience space.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Paper Manufacturing

NAICS

Converted Paper Product Manufacturing (3222), Stationery Product Manufacturing (32223)

SIC

Wholesale-Paper & Paper Products (5110), Converted Paper & Paperboard Prods (No Contaners/Boxes) (2670)

akta.pro primary industry

Paper & Printing Grades Distribution (Printing/Writing, Newsprint, Specialty) (IMAMAIAF)

Keywords

• Specialty paper manufacturing
• Graphic design paper
• Eco-friendly paper
• FSC certified paper
• Industrial paper products

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Specialty Paper Distribution (B2B/B2B2C): Distribution of specialty design papers to printers, packaging designers, brand owners, and publishers through direct sales and online storefronts including 페ober모어 smart store. Products are sold in various weights, sizes, and finishes (rolls and sheets).
2. The Paper Lab Experience Services: Physical showroom and workshop space offering designers hands-on paper exploration, mock-up creation, and inspiration services. Associated online shop for The Paper Lab merchandise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SAMWON PAPER manufactures and distributes specialty papers for graphic design and industrial applications, with a strong focus on eco-friendly materials such as bamboo, sugarcane bagasse, coffee waste, and esparto grass. The company sells its papers through sub-brands The Paper Lab, Paper More (Papermore), and Samwon Gallery, distributing via showrooms, online stores, and direct B2B sales to designers, brand owners, and printers in South Korea.

Product overview

SAMWON PAPER operates as a specialty paper company offering a diverse portfolio of paper products across multiple categories: eco-friendly papers (SAVE EARTH line including bamboo, sugarcane, and recycled papers), graphic design papers (Super Touch, Super Wild, Just Fine), and sustainable specialty papers (Sparto, Coffee Paper). The company distributes papers for various applications including commercial printing, book publishing, shopping bags, and packaging. Alongside their core paper products, SAMWON PAPER operates 'The Paper Lab' (더페이퍼랩), a creative facility where designers can experience materials, create mock-ups, and find inspiration for packaging and print projects. The company also offers a monthly wallpaper program featuring seasonal paper collections with CMF design concepts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 더페이퍼랩 (The Paper Lab): A creative space for designers to experience paper products, create mock-ups, and find inspiration for packaging and printing projects. Located in Seoul.
• 페이퍼모어 (Papermore)
• 삼원갤러리 (Samwon Gallery)

Products and services

• Super Touch Specialty graphic design paper from SAMWON PAPER's core product lineup, targeted at designers, brand owners, and printers.
• Super Wild Specialty graphic design paper from SAMWON PAPER's core product lineup, targeted at designers, brand owners, and printers.
• Just Fine Specialty paper from SAMWON PAPER's product lineup, used for design and printing applications.
• Bamboo Pack Eco-friendly specialty paper made from bamboo fiber, part of SAMWON PAPER's sustainable paper range.
• Sparto Eco-friendly specialty paper made from esparto grass fiber, part of SAMWON PAPER's sustainable paper range.
• Coffee Paper Eco-friendly specialty paper made from coffee waste, part of SAMWON PAPER's sustainable paper range.
• Earthpact Eco-friendly specialty paper from SAMWON PAPER's sustainable product range.
• Kendo Specialty paper from SAMWON PAPER's product lineup, used for design and industrial printing applications.
• Remake Specialty paper from SAMWON PAPER's product lineup, used for design and printing applications.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Paper LabcoreOthersA dedicated brand of SAMWON PAPER — a physical and online space where designers explore specialty papers, create mock-ups, and receive expert guidance. The Paper Lab is co-branded and directly operated as SAMWON PAPER's primary designer engagement and experience platform. It is also accessible via an independent domain (thepaperlab.co.kr) and has its own Instagram account (@thepaperlab_seoul). The 2026 리뉴얼 (renewal) of the The Paper Lab shopping mall was announced as a key company milestone.
• Paper More (페이퍼모어)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOwned Naver Smart Store channel (smartstore.naver.com/samwon-papermore) for direct online sales of SAMWON PAPER products to consumers and SMBs. Operated under the Paper More brand with dedicated Instagram account (@samwon_papermore) and phone line (02-2217-1800).
• 삼원갤러리 (Samwon Gallery)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGallery space operated by SAMWON PAPER hosting rotating design art exhibitions (e.g., TDC Seoul Type Directors Club exhibition, Samwon Art Sponsorship program). Serves as cultural hub strengthening SAMWON PAPER's brand identity in the design community. Accessible via samwongallery.co.kr.
• 삼원장학재단 (Samwon Scholarship Foundation)minorOthersAffiliated charitable foundation of SAMWON PAPER, mentioned in the footer links. Likely focuses on educational scholarship programs.
• (주)고려신소재 (Korea CNS)minorOthersAffiliate company linked in the footer. Korean company specializing in new/advanced materials. Nature of relationship is not explicitly described beyond shared affiliation under the Samwon group.
• 얼스팩 (Earthpact)minorOthersEco-friendly paper brand using sugarcane bagasse (earthpact.co.kr). Listed as a linked brand entity, suggesting either a sub-brand or affiliated company focused on sustainable paper products. Earthpact products (52 variants) appear in SAMWON PAPER's catalog.
• 타이벡몰 (TyveK Mall)minorOthersLinked e-commerce platform (tyvekmall.co.kr). Nature of relationship not explicitly described — could be a sub-brand or affiliated store focused on Tyvek® brand materials.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mohawk Fine Papers: US specialty paper manufacturer known for premium uncoated and eco-certified grades sold to designers, printers, and brand owners. Comparable in curating texture-driven specialty papers and FSC positioning, though distributed globally rather than Korea-domestic.
• Gmund Papier: German family-owned specialty paper maker with a designer-focused portfolio of premium textures, colors, and sustainable grades. Closely comparable to SAMWON PAPER on boutique specialty positioning, tactile curation, and design community engagement.
• Fedrigoni: Italian global specialty paper manufacturer and distributor serving packaging, publishing, and design customers. Directly comparable as a curated premium paper specialist with strong designer community programs and eco-friendly lines targeting the same brand-owner use cases as SAMWON PAPER.
• Hahnemühle: German fine-art and specialty paper manufacturer with digital fine-art, stationery, and sustainable product lines. Comparable on premium texture-driven paper portfolio serving design and brand communities, including eco-friendly grades.
• Arjowiggins: French specialty paper producer (Creative Papers division) supplying designer and brand-owner packaging markets with premium uncoated and recycled lines. Comparable on specialty eco-grade development and creative-papers distribution model.
• James Cropper: UK specialty paper and packaging producer with bespoke color, texture, and sustainable paper lines for brand owners and designers. Comparable on custom-curated specialty offering and ESG-aligned product development.

Regional players

• Spicers: Australia/NZ paper and packaging distributor serving commercial printers and brand owners with specialty and sustainable substrates. Comparable on B2B specialty distribution with curated catalog and designer-facing value-added services, but in a different geography.
• Kelly Paper: US specialty paper distributor with showrooms and a curated catalog of premium and sustainable grades. Comparable on multi-channel B2B/B2C distribution and curated specialty assortment, though serving the US West Coast rather than Korea.

Broad incumbents

• Domtar: Large North American paper manufacturer with a specialty and sustainable papers portfolio. Comparable on FSC-certified sustainable paper offering but operates at significantly broader scale as an incumbent rather than a niche curator.

Emerging players

• Cordenons: Italian specialty graphic paper producer focused on premium uncoated and eco-friendly grades for packaging and editorial design. Comparable on boutique specialty positioning, though smaller global footprint than Fedrigoni or Gmund.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/samwonpaper
• Facebookfacebook.com/31paper
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/samwon-paper

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SAMWON PAPER