OUR VALUES
Rooted in the community
At W. Maxwell, we believe that each one of us has the power to contribute to change things. All that’s needed is a concrete act, however small it may be.
WHALES AND OUR OTHER ANIMAL FRIENDS
Animals have always had a special place in our hearts. Over the years, W. Maxwell has been involved in several projects to help them.
In 2022, a humpback whale swam 400 km against the current to stop in the Old Port of Montreal and spent a few days there, which caused a lot of emotions to those who could observe it. We paid tribute to it with a cover designed by Quebec illustrator Annie St-Amant and a donation to CPAWS (Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society). We have then contributed to the creation of a marine protected area in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, a hotspot for marine biodiversity. This area will provide more safety for the many species of cetaceans that visit these waters.
The challenges faced by cetaceans in the St. Lawrence River, largely due to human activities, touch us deeply. This is why, in 2020, we have decided to adopt a beluga in collaboration with the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM). The name we have chosen for this young male is Novo, in the hope that a new relationship between humans and cetaceans will be born. Since then, Novo has been observed several times in its natural habitat, which is excellent news for the St. Lawrence beluga species, officially declared at risk of extinction.
During the summers of 2019 and 2020, for a total of 20 weeks, an employee of W. Maxwell has been a volunteer shepherdess for Biquette in Montreal. It is thanks to this organization that we have seen sheep grazing in the city for several years. In some of Montreal’s urban parks, these endearing animals provide a number of benefits: they reduce the need for mechanical mowing of the grass, thus the use of fuel and weedkillers, as well as noise and nuisance for wildlife. Moreover, they inspire in those who cross their path a feeling of relaxation and reconnection with nature.
In 2017 and 2018, we were a foster home for retired racing greyhounds from the United States. These dogs, extraordinarily powerful once launched at the pursuit of a lure, are calm, gentle, and sometimes very funny companions, in addition to being among the most elegant animals on Earth (partial opinion!).
FILM NOIR AU CANAL
With the arrival of thousands of new residents in the Sud-Ouest borough, W. Maxwell decided to get involved in livening up the public space and creating opportunities for people to get together. In 2015, we established a free outdoor festival of film noir on the banks of the Lachine Canal. Film Noir au Canal is now in its 9th edition and it attracts an average of 500 moviegoers for each of its screenings. The atmosphere there is magical!
CANAL BLEU
In 2008, W. Maxwell employees co-founded Canal Bleu, a collective of residents who have since carried out more than 70 clean-ups along the Lachine Canal, as well as in the Saint-Henri, Little Burgundy, and Griffintown public spaces.
In 2021 we have concluded this enriching adventure with one last community action: planting vines that will cover with greenery the concrete walls of Griffintown.
The South-West Borough has then invited us to sign its Livre d’or to highlight the contribution brought to the area by this grass-roots initiative.
NEW COLLABORATIONS
During the past year, we have also collaborated with the following Montreal organizations:
- Le Bal des Enfants de l’OSM
- École de théâtre corporel Omnibus
- Mission Bon Accueil
- Fondation du Centre de Réadaptation en Dépendance de Montréal
- Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi de Sherbrooke
- L’Arrêt-Source, Maison pour jeunes femmes violentées ou en difficulté
- SNAP, Société pour la nature et les parcs du Canada – Section Québec with an agenda that contributes to the creation of a protected marine area in the habitat zone of the cetaceans of the Saint-Lawrence estuary (more details here)
If these causes touch you as they touch us, we encourage you to get involved.
Committed to the environment
At W. Maxwell, we strive to reduce our environmental footprint through a series of actions
Our transition towards plastic-free agendas with new cardboard cover
Since 2019 we have replaced the plastic cover of the Baro, Baro-E, Garbo, Garbo-E agendas with a new rigid cardboard cover. This cover has a substantially lower environmental impact, but won’t cease to delight stationery enthusiasts with its vibrant illustrations that renew themselves every year.
In 2023, we have created a new model of agenda: the Memo. Just like the Mini, it is made entirely from sustainable acid-free forestry paper. As soon as the Memo appeared on the shelves, it was such a success that, starting with the 2024-2025 collection, we created its little brother: the Mimo. These new products, and the love you give them, allow us to keep on reducing our environmental impact.
Is it possible to buy a refill and reuse your agenda cover from the previous year?
Yes! Since 2020, for Gama and Ulys (academic and yearly agendas), it is possible to buy a refill, and thus reuse the cover you already have. You will find them in store or online and the list of retailers is indicated in the product sheet:
Are our products recyclable?
Yes! If, after the year has ended, you manage to part with your planner, please note that, in addition to the pages of all models, the covers of the Mini, Mini-E, Baro, Baro-E, Garbo, Garbo-E, Buro, Maxi, Memo, and Mimo planners are made of paper and carton: they are 100% recyclable.
Inspired by tradition
Because a planner doesn’t have an easy life, W. Maxwell carefully chooses its components to guarantee its strength and to offer the best possible user experience.
For 365 days, its pages are opened and closed over and over, it follows us as we move around, it sometimes gets wet or a little torn up… and that’s normal! All its components must be carefully chosen and assembled to ensure its strength and the best possible user experience. W. Maxwell’s agendas and notebooks incorporate several elements from the grand tradition of classical stationery; we have drawn upon the solutions found over the centuries to create a time management tool that stands up to any challenge.
That’s why:
- the pages of our planners open flat (no need to struggle with a planner that wants to close);
- the paper is thick enough to stop the ink from bleeding onto the other side of the page;
- the binding is reinforced by the head and tail bands, which ensures that the pages will always remain firmly in place;
- our elastic bands are strong and don’t warp;
- we look for the materials that are the most pleasant to the touch.
Thoroughly modern
“The details are not the details. They make the design.”
– Charles Eames
The details are at the heart of our design work. At W. Maxwell, we believe that a rigorous design should be the basis of any object, especially one you use every day.
It’s a great pleasure when, after a long search, we find an original solution for improving our products or a new irresistible colour.
Every year, we explore the new trends, and we are on the lookout for new inspiration. Our collections are always different, with the colours and the design evolving each year, but our planners remain true to our principles: the union of pure forms and bright colours.
All our products are designed in Montreal, UNESCO City of Design.
