FAQ

Before July 2023, we shared our seed cards, pronoun pins, art prints, and other accessories under two different names: The Bower Studio and Gamut Pins.

In July 2023, we officially changed our name to Small Victories, with all our items in one place here on smallvictories.com. We are still the very same studio, but it didn’t make sense anymore to separate our work in two different places.

You may still see some products in retail stores that have our old Bower Studio and Gamut Pins branding, but they have the same high quality standards and carefully chosen materials that we use now. If you try them and like them so much you want to reorder, you found the right place!

Check out the Our Story page to learn more about our history and team.

Ordering

Yes! Discounts start at 20% off orders of 25+ seed cards or pronoun badges—automatically applied at checkout. Contact us for additional discounts on orders over 200 pieces.

Looking for wholesale? Check out our Wholesale Page or scroll to the bottom of this page for wholesale FAQ.

No, we are not able to offer customized cards at this time.

No. We work with another company who produces the paper for us. We do not offer any of our supplies or materials for sale.

We offer two types of enamel pronoun badges, designed here in our studio. Which you pick depends on what look you prefer and what pronouns you use:

Classic Enamel Pronoun Pins are round pins, available with traditional rubber and post backs or magnetic backs. Choose from they/them, she/her, he/him, she/they, he/they, and any/all pronouns.

Mix + Match Pronoun Badges are rectangular badges that let you choose your pronouns, colors, and order—and then swap them out or switch them around any time you like.

The unique magnetic design lets you pick single pronouns like “they” and “it” and combine them in any way you like, in groups of two or three pronouns. This product has the most colors and pronoun options, and we plan to add even more pronouns in the future.

Our goal is to make beautiful, durable pronoun wear that looks great in any situation and is accessible for everyone. We add new pronouns based on feedback from messages, in person events, and surveys. If you suggestions or feedback, please contact us.

Our Classic Enamel Pronoun Pins come in two different backing styles: a classic post with a rubber pin back, and a magnetic option.

The classic post with a rubber pin back is the most durable and affordable option ($1 less than magnetic). This is the best style for accessories and clothes that you don't mind sticking a pin through. The rubber pin back prevents the pin from rotating while worn.

Our magnetic option is slimmer and will not damage clothes. It will also lay perfectly flat on your outfit. The magnet is strong and works perfectly for styling on clothes, but is not recommended for use on accessories like backpacks or hats where the material might be too thick to fully engage the magnets.

Note that our Mix + Match pronoun badges are only available with magnetic backs because of their unique design. Visit our Pins & Badges Page to see all our pronoun wear in one place.

Sorry, we can't take special requests—that would ruin the surprise! You can always buy more than one to increase your chances of getting the option you're particularly excited about. Check out all of our blind boxes and mystery items here.

Check out our Shipping & Returns page for information on shipping times, local pick-up, and returns.

Artwork

No. We are no longer accepting requests for custom artwork, illustration, or graphic design services.

No. We are not a printing company, so we do not print cards or other items with designs, artwork, or logos created by others.

No. All of our images are copyrighted to Small Victories, Vincent Frano, or Isa Wang. The artwork on our website, cards, and other products cannot be used, altered, or modified in any way for any purpose other than the intended use of the products they are printed on. Unauthorized use of our artwork, designs, or illustrations is theft. Read our full copyright notice here.

Only Small Victories and authorized retailers of Small Victories are permitted to sell our products. Small Victories and our authorized retailers NEVER sell on third-party retail websites such as Amazon, Alibaba, or eBay. Products on these or similar sites that feature our artwork are likely infringing upon our legal copyright.

Please note that you may still see the names The Bower Studio or Gamut Pins on some of our products in retail stores. Those names are also us! We changed our name to Small Victories in July 2023 and switched over our packaging at the same time. If you purchase The Bower Studio or Gamut Pins-branded items you’re still supporting us and our 10% donation pledge.

If you have seen our artwork or designs somewhere and have reason to believe it is unauthorized, please contact us.

Yes, but please do have your tattoo artist credit us if they choose to share the finished tattoo in their portfolio or on social media.

We also love seeing the finished tattoos! Send an email to hello@smallvictories.com or tag us: we're @sm_victories on Instagram and you can scroll to the bottom of this page to see our other socials. If you give us permission, we may re-share your tattoo!

No. Currently we are not accepting commissions for any artwork or graphic design.

However, many of our team members are artists and may be available for commissions. Check out our bios for links to artist portfolios.

Our Products

Our plantable greeting cards are printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper with non-GMO seeds embedded directly into the paper.

Our art prints are printed on sustainably made straw paper, which uses a mixture of recycled content and straw plant fibers (a byproduct of agriculture).

Yes. All of our prints are printed with archival chroma-life inks, guaranteed to last at least 100 years. Of course, it is always advised that prints be displayed in a way that protects them from moisture and direct sunlight.

Yes! Our pronoun badges are thoughtfully designed to be legible at a distance.

Our Classic line measures at 1" in diameter, which is a smidge bigger than a quarter.

Our Mix + Match line measures 1.5" wide with two pronoun tiles.

Our seed cards are printed on three types of seed paper: Wildflower, Herb, or Catnip.

The seeds included in our Wildflower Paper are:

  • Clarkia - Clarkia unguiculata
  • Bird’s Eye - Gilia tricolor
  • Black eyed Susan - Rudbeckia hirta
  • Snapdragon - Linaria maroccana
  • Catchfly - Silene areria
  • Sweet Alyssum - Lobularia maritima

The seeds included in our Herb Paper are:

  • Parsley - Petroselinum crispum
  • Basil - Ocimum basilicum
  • Chives - Allium schoenoprasum

Our Catnip paper only contains catnip seeds (Nepeta cataria).

All our seeds are non-GMO and considered non-invasive. Our Wildflower and Herb mixes are also approved by both the United States Department of Agriculture and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency as suitable for planting in the US, Canada, and other regions like the EU.

The topic of invasive species is complicated and continually changing, particularly as climate change and human activity continues to shift ecosystems. The companies that make our paper are careful to ensure that the seeds are approved for planting in most regions. However, every state and country has their own definitions and regulations regarding exotic species. Small Victories is not responsible for being aware of all local and regional definitions and regulations.

Although our seed mixes contain non-native species, the species included in our plantable cards do not possess invasive growing habits and pose little threat of uncontrolled spreading (in most regions). Many garden plants, such as those in our seed cards, are non-natives (including commonly planted vegetables, herbs, and annual flowers like marigolds, apples, roses, or petunias), but they are generally considered safe to plant with little risk to the native environment. You can read more about invasives and non-native plants here.

The seeds in our wildflower and herb mixes are approved by both the United States Department of Agriculture and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency as suitable for planting in the US, Canada, and other regions like the EU. All of our seeds are also non-GMO.

Please note that we sell worldwide and it is simply not possible to have plant species native to all regions, even within a single country. If you are concerned about a particular species in one of our cards, we welcome you to contact us.

Due to USDA and import regulations, we are not currently able to alter the seeds included in the papers we use for our cards.

Because of the textured surface of seed paper, pencils are often too light to show up clearly. Most pens and felt tip markers are fine for writing and safe for the seeds.

If you're looking for the very best pens and markers to write on our seed paper, you can buy our favorites right here on our website! After much testing, we found that Tombow Mono Graph Lite Ballpoint Pens and Tombow Dual Brush Art Markers made the smoothest, best-looking marks and were a real pleasure to write with.

We also picked out several colors for the brush pens that compliment our original illustrations and look especially good on our seed paper, whether white or cream-colored.

Most writing utensils are fine to use on seed paper and will not hurt the seeds; the marks will usually wash away when you dampen the paper for planting (see our planting guide for more tips). Look out for paint markers or permanent markers—some have alcohols, oils, or xylene, which could potentially be an issue.

Looking for the very best pens and markers to use on seed paper? We tested many pens and markers in our studio "lab" and you can find the winners right here. They are not just safe for the seeds; they also write clearly and compliment our illustrations.

Yes! The companies we partner with to make our wildflower and herb mix seed paper have tested and approved all the seeds contained in the paper for planting in Canada, the US, EU, UK, and many other countries worldwide. Our Catnip Paper only contains catnip seeds (Nepeta cataria).

Our cards cannot be shipped to New Zealand or Australia due to import regulations.

To plant the paper, cover it with 1/8" of soil in full to partial sun and keep moist until the seeds establish. For improved germination time, soak that paper for a few minutes before planting. Sprouts should appear in 4 - 6 days, depending on conditions.

Planting instructions are printed on the back of every card and note card. You can also find step-by-step instructions, a video guide, and extra planting tips here.

Our cards have a shelf life of two years. However, we recommend planting within one year if it was purchased from one of our retailers.

Extend seed viability by storing your card in the fridge! Place the card in a zip seal plastic bag along with a silica gel packet (we reuse them from dry food packages) and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to plant.

Our card sleeves (available with wholesale orders and at some official retailers) are made from glassine, a type of waxed paper. The paper is made with FSC certified materials and is printed with soy inks. Glassine can be composted, recycled, reused, or burned.

All of our prints are sealed in protective sleeves made from polylactide acid (PLA). PLA is created from the lactic acid in plants and is certified compostable in municipal facilities only (not approved for backyard composting).

Cards: Yes! Glassine is 100% compostable and can be mixed into your backyard bin or pile. You can also reuse the sleeves to store seeds from your garden, or put them in standard paper recycling.

Prints: No, unfortunately. PLA requires high heat in order to break down completely. Otherwise, it will simply break apart into smaller pieces and won't be fully composted. PLA can be sent to composting facilities which are equipped to process compost at the necessary high temperatures. If you do not have such a facility in your region, some recycling programs will accept PLA. Please check with your local waste management for disposal options.

The adhesive backing on each of our handmade felt patches makes attaching them easy!

Before starting, check the tag(s) on your item to learn whether it can be ironed and the maximum iron temperature. You can still stitch or pin patches onto items that can't be ironed.

  1. Peel off the paper backing and place the patch where you want to attach it.
  2. Set your iron to the maximum temperature from the item's tag and let it pre-heat.
    ⚠️ If your iron has a steam setting, make sure no water is sitting inside it and the steam is set to "off."
  3. Iron the patch for 8 seconds, pressing firmly until the entire patch is bonded.
  4. Let the patch cool before touching it or wearing it.
    If you want to add stitches to make the hold extra strong or add some decorative flair, now is the time!

Wholesale

Yes! We offer our full line of products to retailers with a valid resale permit ID. To learn more, please visit our wholesale page.

No. It is no longer feasible for us to continue taking orders directly. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. This decision was made out of necessity, however, and we hope that you'll understand our need to streamline our wholesale ordering system. To order, please visit our wholesale page.

Yes! We can accept orders from Canada, the UK, and the EU on Faire. The paper we use for our cards is approved for sale in the EU, UK, and North America. To join Faire and order from us, please click here.

In most cases, yes. Only retailers who run their own e-commerce websites (with or without a brick-and-mortar store) may sell our products online.

We DO NOT allow our products to be sold by retailers or resellers on Ebay, Amazon, or other third party e-commerce sites (including social media shopping). Please see our wholesale terms for full details.

We now offer exclusivity to some shops in the USA via Faire! Check our Faire shop page to see if exclusivity is available for you and to start your application. If you aren’t on Faire yet, remember to sign up via our wholesale page to claim your first order discount.

Faire currently does not offer exclusivity outside the USA, but we invite all retailers to review our retailer map to see which other stores may be carrying our items in your region.

Our full terms and conditions can be viewed here.

We are typically able to accommodate orders with a specific delivery date. When placing your order via Faire, choose the option to schedule your order for a specific ship date.

Please keep in mind that we fill orders in the order that they were received. All orders have a 15- 21 day lead time but we always ship ASAP!

If we receive your order with less than 15 days notice of your delivery date, we cannot guarantee that it will arrive on time. However, we can upgrade your shipping to Priority Express or Overnight upon request. To request shipping upgrades, send us a message via Faire.

No. We receive a high volume of orders and cannot move your order ahead of others. We always recommend placing your order as early as possible, especially for holidays. Orders are filled in the order they are received.

Still have questions? Contact us!