10 Nov The Return & Popularity Of Ink Stamps In The Modern World
Ink stamps have seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, forking out a sense of permanence on paper with the same vigour that they once did when ink stamps were first introduced. With an increasing distrust of digital files and data breaches, these contraptions are becoming more popular thanks to their physical presence and delightful acoustics and feel.
The nostalgia factor aside, there are many industries that still hold a great deal of trust and necessity in the realm of physical bookkeeping and documentation – regardless of the rise of computing and digitisation of files, some facets of society will always be employing the use of these intricate and beautiful contraptions.
That being said, growing mistrust and some hefty incidents of data loss have prompted a lot of people and businesses to consider bringing back the physical copy in order to better secure their data – ink stamps are coming back. This article will explain why ink stamps are coming back, how they work today, and what sorts of cultures around the world still make use of them.
The Old Days
Ink stamps came into heavy use in the world during the 1800s and early 1900s – they were used by businesses of all kinds, but particularly those that dealt with physical copies of files such as letters. These ink stamps had a variety of different designs on them depending on who they were assigned to, which made it easy for employees or secretaries to identify exactly which business was sending out correspondence.
While ink stamping might not have been incredibly exciting or flashy compared to some other technologies at the time (such as typewriters), these small devices allowed people across Europe and North America to secure their information in a way that let them know when records had not been tampered with before being sent out. This gave companies peace of mind and helped boost productivity for a number of years.
The Digital Rise & Fall
As computers became more affordable and necessary for keeping up with the times, ink stamps began to feel the pinch in sales. This was due to a number of factors, including the ability to store documents digitally and a reduction in postage costs that made it easier for people to send out official letters without ink stamps.
Programs began popping up allowing the quick and seamless storage of potentially infinite numbers of documents in a singular location and organise them accordingly. While this was a steep learning curve in the status quo, for a few years, it was undoubtedly the norm.
However, these digital records have been shown to be extremely vulnerable over the last few years as more data breaches have occurred with companies such as Dropbox leaking personal information from customers who expected their correspondence would remain secure. This has led many businesses and consumers alike back towards physical documentation once again so they can feel confident about where this sensitive information is ending up.
The Resurgence
This is where the little contraptions of yesteryear are coming back in a big way, with all the benefits of modern technology and design, combined with the sweet permanent feeling of traditional ink stamps.
The resurgence is also largely due to their widespread use in many parts of Asia and Europe where digital documents are not always entirely trusted or accepted by businesses and government organizations. By providing a more traditional method of signing off on agreements ink stamps allow people to avoid problems with electronic signatures that can be spoofed thanks to free programs readily available online