Paper and Plastic Promotional
Our History
People of note, doing worthy things
Noteworthy is a company dedicated to people of note, doing worthy things. We abide by the principle that one must truly give before one can receive. It is in that spirit that we address the social, economic and humanitarian challenges that face us today.
– Tom Constantino, 1954
Our story can begin with only one man — Thomas B. Constantino. From the very beginning Tom wanted to build a company that did good things. And ultimately he found ways to blend business aspirations with his passion for protecting the environment and supporting his community.
It was 1954, and America’s love affair with the automobile was in full bloom. Tom saw cars as perfect vehicle
for delivering advertising. His first invention, and our first product, was the Travel Tissue Pak
, a handy tissue dispenser that slipped over a car’s sun visor. The dispenser carried custom advertising messages that were always in view of the occupants.
Soon after introducing the dispenser, Tom thought of another useful advertising vehicle
— the litterbag! Made of paper at first, litterbags would become the foundation for our success. They complemented Tom’s concern for the environment by providing an easy way for motorists to dispose of trash properly. At the same time, litterbags were an effective, economical advertising product.
A sketch of our corporate office by Matt Popielarz.Circa 1960
Launched with the slogan Don’t be a Litterbug, use a Litterbag
the bags were an instant success. Tom often spoke of creating specialty advertising that would contribute to a better tomorrow, and litterbags were only the beginning. After the success of the litterbag Tom expanded our product line to include notepads, coloring books and book jackets with an educational bent.
It was important to Tom that Noteworthy develop start-to-finish manufacturing capabilities. In 1970 we acquired the paper printing and converting equipment needed to be self-sufficient. The new equipment allowed us to better control quality, speed up deliveries, and introduce new products: merchandising bags and envelopes.
Plastic bags were added in 1965 and a few years later we purchased the extrusion equipment we still use to manufacture our own plastic film. Our new extrusion department enabled us to deliver a higher quality product with greater flexibility. And fortified our position as the most capable manufacturer of plastic promotional bags.
Achieving Top Supplier status in 1989 delighted Tom, but sadly within the year he passed away. His wife Carol took over as President and diversification became a priority. We invested heavily to expand our product line, improve quality, and reduce production times. In 1998 we acquired Filmkote, a manufacturer of presentation folders and binders. A year later we bought Crystal Awards USA and Avanti. They have since combined to form Noteworthy Awards. Today, we’re well positioned to serve the needs of the promotional products industry with superior flexibility, caring service, and a broad product line.