Here at Wooden Deckle our papermaking kits are geared towards making handmade paper by recycling used paper. All of us have so much of it on hand!

As a rule of thumb, the better the quality of paper used, the better the handmade paper pulp.  Good sources of used paper to are:

• computer/printer paper
• envelopes
• old stationary
• greeting cards
• paper bags
• maps
• sheet music (it’s so nice to see musical notes showing up in the handmade paper!)
• wrapping paper
• cardstock
• junk mail

It’s best to avoid recycling:

• newspapers or newsprint paper with a lots of ink, i.e. paper that was heavily printed on
• glossy magazines construction paper (the colors quickly fade)

By making handmade paper from the myriads of paper we go through every day, we preserve our natural resources, and avoid the use of caustic chemicals needed to break down natural plant fibers. 

Next week I’ll share how to add color to your recycled handmade paper pulp.

Happy Creating!