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The Paper-Making Process

Historically, the best quality paper was made from textile rag, either post production waste or end of life garments, and reviving these old methods creates a solution to the problem the industry is facing today. Community Clothing has taken the scraps of denim left from the production of the denim collections, and turned it into paper.

Scraps & Shredding

Scraps & Shredding

Scraps from the cutting process of making our Community Clothing’s light blue, indigo and black jeans at the UK factory are sent to the Paper Foundation. Most companies throw scraps away.

Scraps are shredded and sorted into piles of the matching colour.

Scraps from the cutting process of making our Community Clothing’s light blue, indigo and black jeans at the UK factory are sent to the Paper Foundation. Most companies throw scraps away.

Scraps are shredded and sorted into piles of the matching colour.

The Beater & The Pulp

The Beater & The Pulp

The shredded scraps are placed in the beater for 8 hours where the fabric is broken down into a pulp.

Pulp is the name of the material after the denim has been in the beater for 8 hours. The pulp is added to the vat and diluted with water.The dilution is how the weight of the paper is controlled.

The shredded scraps are placed in the beater for 8 hours where the fabric is broken down into a pulp.

Pulp is the name of the material after the denim has been in the beater for 8 hours. The pulp is added to the vat and diluted with water.The dilution is how the weight of the paper is controlled.

Paper Sheet

Paper Sheet

To form the sheet, a paper-making mould is used, a rectangular flat sieve which the pulp is scooped up from and as the water soaks away, the matted fibre is left on the surface of the mould and that is what becomes the sheet of paper.

To form the sheet, a paper-making mould is used, a rectangular flat sieve which the pulp is scooped up from and as the water soaks away, the matted fibre is left on the surface of the mould and that is what becomes the sheet of paper.

Couching

Couching

This is the process of transferring the paper from the mould onto the woollen felts. The mould is rolled across the felt and the sheet peels off. The stack of the paper is called a post and the sheets are stacked between woollen felts. The unique texture of handmade paper is because of the texture of the felt. It’s an embossing of the woollen felt onto the paper.

This is the process of transferring the paper from the mould onto the woollen felts. The mould is rolled across the felt and the sheet peels off. The stack of the paper is called a post and the sheets are stacked between woollen felts. The unique texture of handmade paper is because of the texture of the felt. It’s an embossing of the woollen felt onto the paper.

Pressing & Peeling

Pressing & Peeling

The pile of paper, the post, is put into the press and 40 tonnes of pressure is applied to take out the water.

The sheets are peeled away from the felt to make a stack of wet paper with nothing in between.

The pile of paper, the post, is put into the press and 40 tonnes of pressure is applied to take out the water.

The sheets are peeled away from the felt to make a stack of wet paper with nothing in between.

The Screw Press

The Screw Press

The paper is pressed in the screw press to take out some more water but mainly it’s to control the texture. This lessens the texture to make the paper more suitable for printing and writing and most uses. Then the paper is again placed between felt and boards and placed in a dry box. It’s dried over 24 hours.

The paper is pressed in the screw press to take out some more water but mainly it’s to control the texture. This lessens the texture to make the paper more suitable for printing and writing and most uses. Then the paper is again placed between felt and boards and placed in a dry box. It’s dried over 24 hours.

Quality Check & Finishing

Quality Check & Finishing

Each sheet is checked and then the stack is trimmed, ready to be sent to the customer. The notebooks are then made at one of Mark+Fold’s partner binderies in Suffolk. The covers are first blind debossed, which means there is no ink or foil used and they will be completely recyclable after use. The notebooks are then singer-sewn with thread to match the pairs of jeans from which the original offcuts were taken.

Each sheet is checked and then the stack is trimmed, ready to be sent to the customer. The notebooks are then made at one of Mark+Fold’s partner binderies in Suffolk. The covers are first blind debossed, which means there is no ink or foil used and they will be completely recyclable after use. The notebooks are then singer-sewn with thread to match the pairs of jeans from which the original offcuts were taken.

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