Hobbies Are Hot: The Trend of Matchbook Collecting
Once a staple of restaurants and bars, matchbooks are making a comeback as nostalgic collectibles.
The newest status symbol for the well-traveled and socially intelligent might not be what you’d expect. Matchbook collecting is the newest craze for the sentimental and memorabilia fiends alike. Decorating bowls, trays, and tabletops, these small cardboard creations have had a resurgence in popularity.
While smoking indoors is a thing of the past, matchbooks are still a hot commodity. They have expanded beyond the restaurant world, finding their way into the hospitality and tourism industries. Enthusiasts have even gone far enough to say that matchbooks might be on their way to replacing business cards as a form of physical advertisement.
Phillumenists, or matchbook collectors, gravitate towards these pocket-sized products as a way to memorialize where they’ve been and things they’ve done. The stories behind collections serve as inspiration for many, including explorer and entrepreneur Erica Figliolia, founder of Behind the Matches.
As a New York local, Erica’s brand aims to explore the stories and shared experiences behind each tiny box. Her own love of phillumeny first inspired her artistic endeavors. The business has since expanded from the creation of art pieces with collected matchbooks to a Substack she writes on matchbook histories and matchbook art workshops across the country.
“I think what really resonates with me is that, okay, this one matchbook has such a story right? What was your experience that night or day or what got you there? But also think about all the people behind it. Like, why does that restaurant exist? Whose passion project is that? What's the story behind the chef and the inspiration? And that's kind of something that I'm really passionate about,” Figliolia says.
The trend has been gaining traction on Instagram and TikTok for Figliolia, as well as for accounts like @matchbookdiaries and @thematchgroup. Joseph Gannon, founder of The Match Group, has been in the match industry for years. Working for Maryland Match and Universal Match, he has aided in creating thousands of matchbooks over countless decades. He “couldn’t possibly” pick a favorite though, he explained in an interview with Delish.
Accounts like Gannon’s are heavily photography-reliant, now that matchbooks serve less of a practical purpose. Unless you’re lighting some candles, matchbooks now just have to look good. The intrigue that comes from their different designs helps preserve the actual product, as many collectors like to display them in creative ways, rather than frequently use them for their original intention.
Although this trend has picked up popularity via digital platforms, the actual practice of collecting matchbooks and match-related items helps connect phillumenists back to the physical world. Collecting trinkets is a tangible act and appreciating these analog items helps supporters of this craft to slow down and connect.
“I think everyone's different, of course, but when you're more attentive, you're able to recognize a trinket or a memento as something that you want to take with you because it's right there; it's in that moment,” says Figliolia. “It's part of that sensory experience. Like you're touching it. You're taking it with you.”