Retirement gifts for the people who make work meaningful
Fondfolio helps you create a one of a kind book for a departing colleague by collecting thoughtful words and stories from everyone they’ve impacted.
Delight your colleagues with a personal gift.
Create a Retirement FondfolioDon’t pay until all your words are collectedPricing options
Each book is handmade and comes ready to gift in a reusable wrap
Read more verified reviews on ThingTesting
I was surprised and very moved to receive such a beautiful book on my retirement. So wonderfully handcrafted and filled to the brim with sweet memories from students and faculty alike.
Mary Alice, San Diego CA
How it works
Create and collect
Sign up and create a new Retirement Fondfolio. Share the unique questionnaire url with everyone who you think would like to participate. You’ll be notified each time someone contributes. They can make edits, and so can you.
Make it personal
When you’re ready, add your customizations and place the order. You’ll get the digital version immediately and we’ll send you a pdf proof of the pages to approve before we start printing.
Enjoy togetherness
Each book arrives ready-to-gift in a reusable wrap, so all you need to do is find the right moment. And, like a compliment spoken aloud, everyone involved can share in the joy — even if they can’t be there in person.
When we retire or leave a place, the things we’ll miss the most are probably not things, they’re other humans!
Give everyone the time and space to say goodbye properly
Include everyone everywhere
Share the questionnaire url with everyone you think your colleague would like to hear from including clients, ex-coworkers, remote teammates and international colleagues. This is especially useful for fully-remote and international teams. The digital version allows you to share the contents with everyone online. That way, no one is excluded from participating in the moment, even if they can’t be there to celebrate in person.
Make contributing convenient
People can contribute whenever they want, and from any device. Even the most tech-averse will find it simple. Each question has tips to spark ideas and we’ve created a helpful writing guide for those who get stuck. Even after they’ve submitted, people can continue to edit or add to their contributions until the order has been placed.
Generate meaningful words
Our questions are carefully tailored to generate thoughtful responses and spark memories. There aren’t enough opportunities day-to-day to tell our co-workers how much they mean to us, so these words often go unsaid. In a group card there’s only so much room so the sentiments tend to default to clichés, but with Fondfolio, everyone has the space, time and privacy to consider what this person means to them and write about those specific details. Each contribution will be printed, so deciphering handwriting will never be an issue.
Manage simply
You’ll receive a notification each time someone contributes and can view a list of all contributors from your dashboard. Each contributor can edit their own words and you can edit them all, just in case you need to fix spelling mistakes. Also, you’ll never run out of space — each book can hold up to 250 contributions, and we can do multiple volumes.
Read more verified reviews on ThingTesting
Thank you so much for making Richard happy. He was blown away by the book! He opened and looked through it while 200+ people were watching on Zoom. Again, thank you so much. You have an amazing talent.
Janet, Lasalle QC
On instagram @fondfolio
Read more verified reviews on ThingTesting
Brooke absolutely loved her book. It brought happy tears to her eyes when we gave it to her. You have a truly amazing product and fantastic quality.
Liz, Northville, MI
Fondfolios are customized for your co-worker, made to order, and produced by hand using a combination of modern technologies and traditional book binding techniques.
Coptic binding is used for maximum flexibility and durability — allowing the book to lay flat for easy-reading. No glue, just high quality paper and thread — made to last a lifetime.
Our wooden covers are sanded smooth and comprised of a fiberboard core with real wood laminate, making them durable and stain-resistent. Choose between Cherry, Maple or Walnut — all with a semi-matte finish.
We create a unique cover design for each book — no repeats! This, combined with the natural pattern of the woodgrain means that no two covers are ever alike — completely unique, just like your co-worker!
Each contribution is printed on creamy 100% recycled speckletone paper. We carefully proof and typeset each spread to ensure the best reading experience.
After you place your order, we’ll follow up with a pdf of the pages so that you can have a final look before we start printing.
Sewn with durable waxed Irish linen thread, the exposed spine allows for an infinite number of contributions, and serves as a visual reminder of the real human connections expressed within. We’ll select a thread colour that best compliments your cover.
Collect as many contributions as you can — the more the merrier, at no extra cost.
The inside back cover of each Fondfolio is engraved with befitting words from a socially conscious visionary — we’ll select from one of our favourites.
We giftwrap each book in a locally sourced vintage scarf using the Japanese “Furoshiki” technique — another unique touch that also helps reduce our impact on the environment. Your co-worker can re-use it to wrap another gift or accessorize with it.
After the order is complete you’ll immediately receive a digital version of the Fondfolio which can be shared with everyone who contributed — great for those who can’t be there to celebrate in person.
We’ll print a scannable code in the back of each book so the recipient can bring their words with them wherever they go.
Read more verified reviews on ThingTesting
It turned out beautifully and Sookie was so surprised and touched by it. Thanks again for your attention to detail and for helping us make such a special gift!
Kristin, Sacramento CA
Digital Only
Portable delight — all the contributions in a personalized Fondfolio website — easily share with everyone who contributed. An elegant alternative to eCards — great for remote teams. Add a printable pdf for just $15.
$10 - $25
Digital + Hardcover
Everything you get with digital, plus a beautiful handmade hardcover version — each contribution occupying a spread. One-of-a-kind cover design. Free Furoshiki giftwrapping. A physical manifestation of love.
$200
Digital + Custom
We offer some upgrades to help make your gift extra special: Solid hardwood covers, a custom slipcase (a cosy made-to-measure home for the book) and custom cover engravings (inspired by the recipient).
$260+
Don’t pay until you’ve collected all your words and you’re ready to order. All prices are in US Dollars (USD).
Shipping rates will be applied at checkout.
Retirement gift FAQs
Why is a Fondfolio a great gift for retirements?
Fondfolio allows everyone who worked with your colleague to say how much they appreciate them and how specifically they will miss them. So often these words go unsaid, but with carefully tailored questions, Fondfolio helps encourage thoughtful reflection and kind, heartwarming words. Besides the work itself, the people can make or break a job, so to have a lasting record of those relationships is invaluable.
How can I personalize this retirement gift?
Each book is completely unique by default. The cover design is a one-of-a-kind, the grain of the wood and the flecks of the speckletone paper, not to mention the soul of the book — all the content about your departing colleague, words written for and about only them. To make it even more personal you can add a custom cover where I will create a design inspired by the words submitted. You can also add a custom slip case — a snug home for the book. It’s the more personal gift you could give to someone on their retirement!
What makes for a good retirement gift?
People like to feel seen and heard, so anything that shows you’ve been paying attention to them will make a good impact. Perhaps you get them something you think will solve a problem they mentioned having, or to support an interest you know they’re passionate about.
Questions? We’re here to help.
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