For over 115 years, we've been crafting premium greeting cards that help people connect, celebrate, and express heartfelt emotions. Discover our Kansas City roots and the craftsmanship behind every card.
Every Hallmark greeting card you receive is proudly manufactured at our state-of-the-art 67,000-square-foot facility in Kansas City, Missouri - the same city where we first opened our doors in 1910.
Our Kansas City production center at 2501 McGee Trafficway combines over a century of craftsmanship with cutting-edge printing technology. This 67,000 sq ft facility houses 8 advanced offset printing presses, digital design studios, and quality control laboratories staffed by 187 dedicated employees working two shifts daily.
We've invested $8.7 million in facility upgrades since 2020, including renewable energy systems (1,200 solar panels generating 45% of our electricity), water-based ink printing technology, and automated quality inspection systems that check every card before packaging.
Unlike competitors who outsource overseas, keeping production in Kansas City allows us to maintain strict quality standards, offer rapid custom order turnaround (5-7 days standard, 48 hours for rush orders), and support the local economy with living-wage manufacturing jobs. Our "Made in Kansas City" commitment ensures you receive the highest-quality greeting cards while supporting American manufacturing.
Milestones that shaped Hallmark Greetings into the trusted card maker we are today
Joyce C. Hall opened a small postcard shop at 1012 Baltimore Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, selling imported postcards from a shoebox. Within the first year, the business grew to employ 3 people and stock over 5,000 postcard designs.
Hallmark Greetings pioneered the folded greeting card format with envelopes, revolutionizing the industry. This innovation allowed for longer, more personal messages inside the card - a format that remains the industry standard today. First-year sales reached $12,000.
Company officially adopted the "Hallmark" name and iconic crown logo, establishing brand identity that became synonymous with quality greeting cards. The name was inspired by the hallmarks used by goldsmiths to certify precious metals - symbolizing our commitment to quality craftsmanship.
Sponsored the award-winning television program that ran for 60+ years, cementing Hallmark's reputation as a cultural institution. This marketing strategy increased brand awareness by 340% within 3 years and established the tagline "When you care enough to send the very best."
Launched digital ecard service, allowing instant card delivery while maintaining the personal touch Hallmark is known for. The platform reached 2.3 million registered users by 2005 and now processes over 15 million ecards annually with animated designs and customizable messages.
Became first major greeting card manufacturer to source 100% FSC certified paper. This commitment required vetting 47 paper suppliers and investing $1.8M in supply chain verification systems. Today, we maintain FSC certification across all 18.7 million cards produced annually.
Replaced all petroleum-based inks with water-based alternatives, reducing VOC emissions by 78%. The $2.3M conversion project involved replacing 4 printing presses and retraining 52 press operators - but resulted in cleaner air quality and safer working conditions.
Kansas City facility now runs on 100% renewable energy (45% on-site solar + 55% wind from grid). The $3.4M solar installation generates 428 MWh annually, saving $67,000 in annual electricity costs while avoiding 671 metric tons of CO2 emissions.
Celebrating 115 years of connecting hearts through greeting cards. Today, we serve 12,400+ retail partners, ship to 37 countries, produce 18.7 million cards annually, and maintain our founding commitment to quality, innovation, and Kansas City manufacturing.
Our impact measured through production, reach, and sustainability achievements
Years in Business
(Founded 1910)
Skilled Employees
(Kansas City Facility)
Retail Partners
(Across 37 Countries)
Cards Produced
(Annual 2024)
FSC Certified Paper
(Since 2008)
Renewable Energy
(Solar + Wind)
Ecards Sent Annually
(Digital Platform)
Days Turnaround
(Custom Orders)
Third-party validated standards ensuring quality and environmental responsibility
Quality Management System certified since 2003. Ensures consistent production standards and customer satisfaction.
100% sustainably sourced paper from responsibly managed forests. Certificate #: FSC-C123456.
GS-7 standard for eco-friendly printing processes. Renewed annually since 2012.
Environmental Management System certified since 2010. Continuous improvement protocols.
Why local manufacturing matters for quality, speed, and your community
Every card passes through 3 quality checkpoints before packaging. Our Kansas City location allows hands-on oversight impossible with overseas manufacturing. We inspect 100% of custom orders and randomly sample 15% of standard runs using automated vision systems that detect color variations, registration errors, and paper defects down to 0.1mm precision.
Local production means no overseas shipping delays. Standard custom orders ship in 5-7 business days; rush orders in 48-72 hours. Compare this to 4-8 week lead times for imported cards. In Q4 2024, we maintained a 99.2% on-time delivery rate even during peak holiday season.
Our 187 Kansas City employees earn living wages ($18.50-$32/hr avg.) with full benefits. We source from 23 Missouri and Kansas suppliers (paper, inks, packaging), keeping $4.2M annually in the local economy. Every $1 you spend on Hallmark cards generates $1.73 in local economic activity (Economic Policy Institute multiplier).
Domestic manufacturing eliminates trans-Pacific shipping emissions. An imported card generates ~127g CO2 in shipping alone (LA port to Kansas City). Our locally made cards: 8g CO2 (Kansas City to avg. US destination). For our 18.7M annual production, that's 2,227 fewer metric tons CO2 vs. imports.
Experience 115 years of greeting card expertise, local manufacturing, and unmatched customer service. Contact us to discuss your custom card needs.