The Austrian Post is launching a unique stamp: it is printed on toilet paper, referring to the rush of customers to the toilet paper rolls when the confinement is announced.
"We've been dealing with the coronavirus pandemic for months. An original block of stamps is now a reminder of how our daily lives have changed as a result." indicates the establishment.
The ?2.75 postage stamp was developed with the help of an Austrian tissue paper producer, Essity Austria. A self-adhesive film of natural fibre paper was applied to the back of the toilet paper to make it more tear-resistant and to allow easy removal of the stamp.
The block - which includes a stamp and is published in 300,000 copies - is also the size of a sheet of toilet paper. And the post office has taken the analogy a step further by also using the typical perforation of this sanitary product.
Printed in silkscreen, this remarkable stamp also represents the social distance imposed since the beginning of the pandemic. The Austrian design agency Marion Füllerer has drawn a baby elephant. The baby elephant is the unit of measurement that Austria has chosen to help correctly assess the distance of one meter. This distance must be respected between each person in order to help prevent the spread of the disease as much as possible. The animal will also be stamped on the 1st day of issue of this stamp (30 October). And other animals of different sizes accompany the pachyderm for comparison.
And the ?2.75 stamp surcharge will be donated to charity.
