Market issues

• Competition with Digital Printing: Letterpress struggles to compete with digital printing in terms of speed and cost. By nature, the process is slow and requires large industrial or commercial spaces to accommodate heavy equipment. In contrast, digital printing is faster, requires less space, reduces overhead costs, and generates higher profits through quicker turnaround times and less waste. While magnesium and polymer plates (created directly from digital files) can speed up production, they are costly and often dismissed by purists as compromising the authenticity of the craft.
• Limited Workshop Spaces: Letterpress equipment—such as cast iron presses, composing stones, furniture racks, galley racks, and type cabinets—is heavy and space-consuming. This often restricts workshops to ground-floor locations, increasing rental costs and reducing profitability. Many printers resort to working from converted garages or home studios due to affordability constraints.

Skills issues

• Shift from Trade to Craft: Letterpress printing has transitioned from a formally recognised trade (formerly taught through City & Guilds qualifications) to a craft-oriented practice focused on small, art-based print runs rather than large-scale production. As a result, structured training opportunities have diminished, making it harder to acquire expertise.
• Shortage of Skilled Technicians: Maintaining and repairing letterpress equipment requires specialised knowledge, yet few individuals today possess these skills. Cast iron presses, while durable, are difficult to repair when damaged, as cast iron is challenging to weld. Many presses are scrapped simply because there are too few experts available to restore them.

Equipment & raw materials

• Maintenance & technical issues: Professional letterpress printing demands a significant amount of equipment, much of which requires ongoing maintenance. Keeping presses and type in working order is a specialised skill requiring training technicians. However, we are now seeing letterpress departments reinstating letterpress departments as part of their Art & Design courses due to a resurgence in interest in the craft.
• Scarcity of Type & Materials: Letterpress type—whether cast from lead or made from wood—is fragile and susceptible to damage. Metal type was originally designed to be melted down and recast when worn out, but much of the type available today has long exceeded its intended lifespan. Few foundries remain in operation in the UK, making replacements expensive and difficult to source. Wood type, in particular, has become a collector’s item, often sold piece by piece on eBay, reducing the availability of complete alphabets. Cases of type are frequently repurposed as decorative items, further depleting the supply.

Ageing workforce

• Increase in awareness amongst young people – whilst there are still issues with the ageing of skilled practitioners, particularly in type manufacture, there are now more young people setting up print studios and using them for both artistic and commercial purposes.

Health & Safety Concerns

Lead Type Precautions: While lead type can be used safely, concerns persist due to its lead content, particularly in relation to historical health risks associated with leaded petrol and paint. However, with simple precautions—such as washing hands after handling type and avoiding ingestion—risks can be effectively managed.