Recycled papers are very popular these days. They are used for making decorative paper bags, stationeries and envelopes and other similar products. They are made from waste paper, yet you will be surprised to know that they command high prices. You can come up with your own homemade stationeries with a little bit of patience and the procedure below. Try making one. Who knows, this may lead you to something big? Remember, big things come from small beginnings.
Your first product may not be perfect. Believe in the saying "Practice makes perfect." So you keep on practicing. Sooner than you think, you will be able to judge the consistency of the pulp and couch it smoothly. To ensure best result from your first trial, read carefully all the instructions before you start working.
Materials
- A mold and deckle
- Two pressing boards
- A blender
- An oblong basin
- A dry towel
- A wooden spoon
- A sponge
- Household starch
- Newspaper/wastepaper
Procedure
- Classify your waste paper into different colors and remove staple wires, plastic and tape. These will affect the texture of your paper.
- Tear the paper into small pieces (about 1 inch squares). One half pound of wastepaper will yield about 10-20 sheets.
- Pour hot water over the scraps, stir to separate them, and then leave the mixture to soak overnight.
- Disperse one tablespoon of starch in hot water and stir to dissolve well.
- Put a handful of soaked paper in the blender and fill it two-thirds full with cold water.
- Blend the mixture for 15 seconds or just enough to break all the lumps. Do not over blend it because your paper will lack strength.
- Fill your basin with water (half-filled), then add six batches of liquidized pulp.
- Set up a "couching mound" by folding the towel to the same size of the mold. Lay it flat without creases then lay a piece of damp cloth over it.
- Stir pulp mixture immediately before dripping the mold. Thin sheets will result if the fibers settle in the bottom.
- Put the deckle on top of the mold with the mesh side up. Hold them firmly together with both hands. Dip the mold and the deckle vertically into the far side of the basin, and quickly, level them under the surface and lift them straight up out of the pulp.
- While draining the water, even out the pulp by holding the mold and deckle horizontally and shake them gently from side to side and front to back.
- Tilt the mold and deckle to drain off excess water. Lay the mold on sheets of newspaper and remove the deckle in one action to make sure no drips fall on the pulp and spoil it.
- The layer of pulp on the mold should be about 1/6 inch thick. To thicken, add more pulp to the mixture and drain off some water. To thin, add more water. Remember, the mixture will become thinner as each sheet is formed. If sheets are not well-formed, they can be returned to the mixture by redipping the mold. Invert the mold and hold it over your couching mound.
- Leave the mold resting on the cloth and absorb excess water by pressing the back of the mesh with a sponge.
- Roll off the mold, leaving the pulp on the cloth. Make sure that it does not stick at any point.
- Cover the pulp with another damp cloth, making sure there are no creases. Continue dipping and couching sheets.
- Cover the last sheet with cloth and lift the layers of cloth and paper off the towel and onto one of the boards.
- Put the other board on top and press it. Put sheets of newspaper under to catch the dripping water. Leave overnight.
- Lift each cloth and sheet from the press. Hang it up to dry. When the paper is completely dried, peel off the couching cloth.
- You can now make any products from your recycled paper. Sell and make money from it.
