Marita V. Pierce’s journey in publishing began with her family’s firm, Media Systems, Inc.

Her mother encouraged her to develop her entrepreneurial skills, so while still in high school, Marita designed and sold party invitations. Even before entering college, she had developed her own line of Christian greeting cards and stationery sets, as well as what she describes as the first gift wrappers featuring Bible verses. She sold these products nationwide.

While her peers were enjoying the typical activities of teenage life, Marita spent weekends attending local and international trade fairs, promoting and selling her printed products.

Fresh out of business school, she took over the management of the family-owned publishing firm, becoming one of the youngest female publishers in the Philippines at the time.

Her early experience in desktop publishing, graphic layout, cover design, book and magazine interior layouts, and paper products sparked a lifelong fascination with fonts, typography, and the creative possibilities of paper.

In 1990, Marita’s mother encouraged her to create handcrafted greeting cards for an international exhibition. As an export consultant, her mother expanded Marita’s vision, encouraging her to explore paper creations for export.

With no formal design training but with faith, prayer, keen observation, and a wild imagination, Marita designed and crafted 3D greeting cards using handmade paper she produced in their kitchen.

Her creations caught the attention of buyers from Italy, Japan, and the United States—including two of the biggest names in the greeting card industry.

As the export business grew, 23-year-old Marita wanted a name that would distinguish her designs from her family’s publishing firm.

Her first major order came from an Italian buyer. And because Marita loved Italian food, her thoughts naturally turned to pasta.

Thinking aloud at the family dining table, she wondered, “What name sounds Italian and suits high-quality products?”

She playfully recited, “Spaghetti, cannelloni, tortellini, rigatoni…”

Then her 15-year-old sister Lori suddenly called out:

“PAPELINI!”

“YES! I love it!” Marita exclaimed.

And that day, PAPELINI CRAFTS was born.

Eventually, Marita discovered an even more delightful connection: “papel” means “paper” in Filipino. In one Filipino dialect, “Papelini” can also be pronounced  “Papel-ini,” meaning, “This is paper.”

How very appropriate!

Papelini Crafts grew into an international paper-design business, creating greeting cards, stationery, journals, paper bags, boxes, paper-mâché homeware, paper-wrapped furniture and décor, and even eye-catching paper creations for window displays.

Its products reached wholesalers, distributors, department stores, and exclusive boutiques across the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Japan, and beyond.

Marita showcased Papelini at major international trade events, including CITEM in Manila, Première in Frankfurt, Scènes d’Intérieur in Paris, the New York Stationery Show, the Chicago Gift Show, and the International Stationery & Office Products Fair Tokyo.

Though Marita had no formal training in drawing or design, her instinct for design and ability to create distinctive paper products led her to consider studying at Parsons School of Design. She applied with her portfolio, but the dean rejected her application, telling her that she was already overqualified.

A few days later, that same dean and his students visited Marita’s booth at the New York Stationery Show. As they admired her products, Marita turned toward them and suddenly recognized the dean who had once rejected her application.

One of the best compliments she ever received from a foreign buyer was:

Papelini Crafts became known for inventive approaches to paper design—from handcrafted cards and Kraft-paper journals to corrugated and GI-sheet journals, binders with woven handles, decorative boxes, housewares, and furniture wrapped in paper twine.

Marita also created woven paper trims and ropes that became part of a distinctive Papelini collection, opening up new possibilities for paper as a material for design and everyday living.

Her paper-woven innovations caught the attention of an Italian-French designer who was appointed to select the top seven companies to represent the Philippines at the exclusive Scènes d’Intérieur in Paris. This international debut opened new doors, with her products subsequently featured in international magazines, including Marie Claire, House Beautiful, and Japanese design magazines.

Her designs found their way to everyone from exclusive retailers to major wholesalers. In a twist that still makes her smile, she discovered that she was also the designer behind products sold by three of the biggest German names in the paper industry—companies that exhibited alongside Papelini at the annual international trade fair in Frankfurt.

In a sense, she was competing against her own designs!

Many of her designs became enduring examples of paper craftsmanship—innovative ideas that continue to inspire and influence paper design today.

That same spirit of innovation would eventually lead Marita beyond paper products and into a new creative chapter: publishing books.

Managing a large production workforce inspired Marita to educate and train her workers, helping improve efficiency, quality, and output. This experience eventually led her into education, where she established the Preppi School Foundation, Inc.

She developed the school’s curriculum, operational and teaching manuals, and business systems; designed the school layouts; and produced custom-made furniture for children, creating an environment conducive to fun, focused learning. She also developed special teaching tools, which she branded as Preppi Power Kits®, allowing children to have their own learning materials at home.

She conducted school tours and training seminars for parents, teachers, and school administrators, sharing the educational concepts and systems she had developed.

She also became a feature writer for a national newspaper and national parenting magazines, where she promoted the educational systems she created: The Truth Curriculum®, The Truth Therapy®, and The Preppi System®.

 Life has come full circle for Marita V. Pierce.

From editing other writers’ published works and designing book covers and page layouts to creating handcrafted journals and innovative paper products, every chapter of her journey has somehow led back to the written word.

Today, PAPELINI has evolved into a publishing house, dedicated to sharing meaningful and inspirational works. As an author and publisher, Marita brings her own books to life—from concept and writing to design, production, and publishing.

Along the way, she has gathered lessons from what she has learned, lived, and taught—shaping them into educational concepts such as The Truth Curriculum® and presenting them through creative, relatable, and practical books and publications.

What began with paper, creativity, and purpose now continues through books designed to inspire readers of every generation to embrace The Truth, overcome life’s challenges, and live more fulfilled lives.

Writing, designing, and publishing timeless works that inspire transformation.