About Chatwin Books

Chatwin Books was founded in Seattle in 2014 by an artist and a bookseller, and our team remains small but mighty. In 2018 we acquired our own printing facilities, and Chatwin now produces the majority of our publications in-house, allowing us to truly embody our values through local production, right here in Seattle.

We are humans with a wide range of interests: kayakers, parents, artists, actors, climbers, gardeners, pet owners, and engaged citizens.

What’s the story behind the name ‘Chatwin’? A zest for exploration and constant learning, a diverse curiosity about the world and the peoples in it, a keen eye for quality, and a dose of oddball humor… We found these things in common between our founding team and the mercurial English author Bruce Chatwin (1940–1989), whose books have long inspired us as readers. The name Chatwin is a touchstone for us of the power of curiosity, cultural humility, and tireless hard work to create books of lasting meaning.

Our values: Chatwin Books is committed to environmental and social justice in our manufacturing and sourcing. We never have and never will print in China. We print exclusively on FSC-certified paper and source locally whenever possible, which is often. Over time, our manufacturing has moved closer and closer to home, which is Seattle. We have formed long-lasting relationships with local printing partners, and see ourselves as a member of the local printing ecosystem. We seek to strengthen this ecosystem by putting our money where our mouth is, and doing business locally first.