Why I Chose Dialab As My Partner In Prints
Choosing a print house is not a small task. It's crucial and can affect all aspects of one's work life as an artist. From the quality of the prints to how smoothly everything goes... Choosing the right partner is one of the biggest choices an artist makes, and there are a lot of options out there.
So how did I end up choosing Dialab - a small, family-led business in Helsinki?
1. Uncompromised Quality
I'm not going to be coy about it: I wanted the best.
Sorry, not sorry.
And honestly, I debated whether I should choose an affordable print house so I could make my prints a little more accessible to a broader audience.
However, the thought of compromising on quality felt wrong - both for my art, my clients and my values.
I want to offer my dear clients the very best I can give. That means I push myself every day to better my craft and finesse every aspect of my workflow but it also means I expect my partners to do the same.
And you can't argue about this: Dialab is one of Finland's finest print houses - and the only one that Hahnemühle has acknowledged the highly sought after Platinum Certificate.
"Hahnemühle Certified Studio Platinum
Achieving the Hahnemühle Certified Studio Platinum status makes you one of the best Hahnemühle Certified Studios worldwide. You have excellent knowledge and advisory skills on the strengths and variety of the Hahnemühle FineArt portfolio as well as on the archivability and longevity of artworks and fine art prints. An outstanding printing experience on Hahnemühle media is guaranteed at your print studio."
On the whole there is only two printhouses in the Nordics who has achieved this grade, Dialab being one of them!
I can only say I made the right choice: quality is superb, delivery is fast and they have...
2. Dialab Has Outstanding Customer Service (For Me AND My Precious Clients!)
Got questions? You'll get answers from minutes to hours. Always friendly, always kind and always helpful.
Even when you're a pain in a but (like I sometimes am with my million and one questions and loony ideas).
For me, it was crucial that the people I partner with share my love for over-the-moon customer experience. I have worked over a decade in customer service and value it so high, from start to finish that for me... it's essential.
And at the same time, I've always wanted to partner with people whom I can both trust and learn from. I am but one and definitely don't know everything - in fact, I'm quite new to this field and printing high-quality photographs was something I was totally unfamiliar.
Dialab answers them both.
I know I will always get the best, kindest guidance when I need it. I truly have a partner, a team who takes this business as seriously as I do.
Most importantly, I know that I can safely let my clients pick their orders (if they wish) from Dialab and know they are taken care of the best way possible.
3. Finnish & Local - So Always Near
Let's be honest here: I'm a hands-on, nosy girlie who wants to have a say or at least a check-in in... way too many things. And even tho I do trust my print house (more than myself sometimes), I still want to be able to pop in and have a look. Whether it's that I'm ordering prints for exhibitions (or my own walls) or signing certificates and limited edition photos, I want to be able to just hop in a car and be there in no time.
I also knew that I would want to support Finnish businesses. These prints are truly from Finland with love.
There's also the ecological side to this: near means no unnecessary posting nor long travels.
4. And While We Are Talking About Environment...
Dialad shares my values and drive to be as eco-friendly and mindful as possible. This means avoiding waste and using every bit of materials in many innovative ways. A good example is "Miniviilu": small framed prints made from leftover materials that otherwise would go to the bin.
80% of packaging materials are recycled, which makes a huge difference for our precious planet but doesn't affect the quality nor safety of the parcels.
All wood parts are mostly Finnish (and always Nordic) and PEFC and FSC certified.
And most importantly:
5. All prints are made to last.
That is a key. If we are going to make something, it's better be forever.
There's nothing wrong with wanting to spice up your life with stunning art, in fact, I truly think art is a necessity for our well-being but let's be mindful about it. Get something that we truly appreciate and want.
Good art is like a good friend; it makes us smile, take deeper breaths and sometimes even comfort us when we feel overwhelmed or lost. It's always there for us to enjoy.
So it should also last for a lifetime(s). And these will.
