While the world keeps moving ever faster, in the heart of Milan there is a place that seems to resist change, preserving its identity. It is a historic workshop open since 1956, located in Largo Crocetta, whose shop window is dominated by a large sign: Tipografia Pezzini. Entering the store, the strong smell of ink and the unmistakable almond fragrance of Coccoina glue immediately reveal an atmosphere that contrasts with urban chaos and modernity, a place suspended in time, where tradition and culture reign undisturbed.

The story

Among the few print shops still operating in the Porta Romana area, Tipografia Pezzini has belonged to the Pezzini family since the 1990s. Today, it is run by Francesca and Simone, the original owner’s son. «I started working here in December 1998, first with my mother and father, then with my wife. Five years ago, we also hired a new employee», he tells us.

Since 1956, the year the print shop first opened, nothing seems to have changed: traditional printing, a deep appreciation for paper, and movable type are still at the heart of the business. Customers of all ages also remain loyal to the shop and continue to trust it. «Our clients are mainly graphic design and professional studios. Today, less paper is printed compared to the past, but the products are of a much higher quality. We do a lot of work with the fashion industry and for weddings, creating much more refined invitations» owner Simone continues.

The products

«Anyone looking for a quality product wants it made in the most traditional way», Simone says. Meanwhile, he shows us some of the print shop’s most famous creations: wedding invitations, printed with letterpress, foil stamping, or embossing techniques, which have a value that could never be replicated digitally. And that is not all: business cards, traditional bookmarks, and a wide selection of seals personally engraved by the print shop, «to send a letter like years ago».

Among the items on the shelves, one framed sheet stands out in particular: inside it, there is the recognition awarded in 2022 by the Lombardy Region, «as a sign of appreciation for over 60 years of activity in the city». The business is reaching new audiences also through its website and Instagram page. «In recent years, social media has also attracted a number of influencers, who often come to visit us. It brings visibility not only in the short term, but also in the long».

The laboratory

To reach the true heart of the shop, however, you need to walk down a flight of stairs to the lower floor. Opening a slightly creaking door, you find yourself over half a century back in time: this is the printing laboratory. Thanks to the machinery, two Heidelberg Stella and an embossing press, the shop can create typographic products of the highest quality.

Simone explains how letterpress printing works: the ink is pressed on the paper through the use of lead type or “cliché”. The movable type, selected from the various drawers, are lined up in the composing stick. «We work hand in hand with technology, which we use for the pre-printing and design stages. Then, the engraving is done in the traditional way. It is a blend of old and new».

Tradition and innovation: do we still need a real printing house?

In an era dominated by technological progress, digital methods, and artificial intelligence, a historic workshop like this seems destined to disappear. However, Simone Pezzini’s approach still seems to be a winning one: «This type of printing, in my opinion, is unbeatable. There is less and less competition: very few of us still use the traditional method, and over time this has rewarded us» Simone concludes. «It’s a job that works well and continues to give me satisfaction every single day».