Em & Friends makes cards and products for the relationships people really have and the lives we really lead—ones that are messy & beautiful, tricky & wonderful, and a whole bunch of everything else in between. After a cancer diagnosis, our founder, Emily McDowell, learned that sometimes people drift away simply because they don’t know what to say. So, in 2012 she started writing and illustrating her own cards, reflecting her real, complicated life. In 2018, we joined forces with the kindred spirits at Knock Knock, uniting as two sister brands under one kickass umbrella. And in 2022, along with Knock Knock, we were acquired by Union Square & Co. As we continue to blossom creatively, our goal remains: to help people feel more connected—and to make stuff we feel good about putting out into the world.

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Em & Friends makes cards and products for the relationships people really have and the lives we really lead—ones that are messy & beautiful, tricky & wonderful, and a whole bunch of everything else in between. After a cancer diagnosis, our founder, Emily McDowell, learned that sometimes people drift away simply because they don’t know what to say. So, in 2012 she started writing and illustrating her own cards, reflecting her real, complicated life. In 2018, we joined forces with the kindred spirits at Knock Knock, uniting as two sister brands under one kickass umbrella. And in 2022, along with Knock Knock, we were acquired by Union Square & Co. As we continue to blossom creatively, our goal remains: to help people feel more connected—and to make stuff we feel good about putting out into the world.

Select Guide Rating

Em & Friends makes cards and products for the relationships people really have and the lives we really lead—ones that are messy & beautiful, tricky & wonderful, and a whole bunch of everything else in between. After a cancer diagnosis, our founder, Emily McDowell, learned that sometimes people drift away simply because they don’t know what to say. So, in 2012 she started writing and illustrating her own cards, reflecting her real, complicated life. In 2018, we joined forces with the kindred spirits at Knock Knock, uniting as two sister brands under one kickass umbrella. And in 2022, along with Knock Knock, we were acquired by Union Square & Co. As we continue to blossom creatively, our goal remains: to help people feel more connected—and to make stuff we feel good about putting out into the world.

Select Guide Rating