Mi’kmaq Printing and Design launches new website

by Admin

The following is distributed by the Mi’kmaq Confederacy of PEI

For Immediate Release

Charlottetown, PEI – 16 November, 2020

Mi’kmaq Printing and Design launches new website just in time for the holidays 

An exciting new chapter for the social enterprise, as they continue to grow and provide opportunities for the Epekwitk Indigenous community 

On Thursday, November 12th, 2020, Mi’kmaq Printing and Design officially launched their new website, providing customers with a COVID-friendly opportunity to support the Island’s Indigenous social enterprise.  

Mi’kmaq Printing and Design (MPD) is a proud branch of the employment services program of the Mi’kmaq Confederacy of PEI. They provide meaningful skills development and employment opportunities to Indigenous peoples living in PEI, while building relationships and sharing the Mi’kmaq language and culture through product design and development. 

With the holiday season fast-approaching, and with many businesses navigating challenging COVID-19 restrictions, it’s more important than ever to support local, and MPD is thrilled to now provide a safe and physically-distanced option for their customers. They provide curbside pickup and mailed deliveries for PEI, and can ship across Canada and internationally.

MPD has an ever-growing selection of merchandise to choose from, such as T-shirts, bags, hoodies, all with Mi’kmaq-inspired designs created in-house. Designs include the word “Kwe’,” which means “Hello” in Mi’kmaq; culturally-significant motifs such as the eagle, eagle feather, and double curve; and “L’nu,” a word meaning “the people.” 

In addition to original designs, MPD also provides custom designs and screen-printing services to organizations, businesses, and conferences of many kinds: Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike. 

Since Thursday, the MPD team has been featuring endorsements from Indigenous Influencers on their social media platforms, including photographer Patricia Bourque, PEI’s Poet Laureate Julie Pellissier-Lush, and award-winning football coach Richard Lush. The Indigenous influence flows through the website as well, being entirely created in-house and featuring an all-Indigenous roster of models. With a fluent Mi’kmaq-speaker on staff, they hope to incorporate translations both on the website and on social media in the near future.

The excitement of the new website launch comes after a successful run of Orange Shirt Day on September 30th, where MPD sold close to 2,000 shirts, and earned positive public recognition for their efforts. A portion of sales will be used to support educational activities focusing on reconciliation and to provide services to residential school survivors. 

The website launch also happens to coincide with Global Entrepreneurship Week, happening from November 16th – November 22nd, 2020, with Social Enterprise Day landing on Thursday, November 19th. 

For all of your printing and design needs, and to support local this holiday season, visit www.mikmaqprinting.com.

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For more information please contact Emily Anne Fullerton at eafullerton@mcpei.ca or 902-626-6424