Infinite Paper

Infinite Paper

Written by Vanna Phasokar

Have you ever had stacks of unused paper thrown out? Maybe homework papers from your primary school? If you do, how about recycling those papers and putting them to good use?

Instead of throwing those papers away, you should try out the reusable paper making method. This could be an activity suitable for your weekend activity list. While making and customizing your paper, you will also be saving the planet by reducing the amount of paper used. Making your own paper is not just about reducing waste, but also saving money on new papers. 

Despite these papers not achieving the quality that most paper brands provide, those recycled papers are usable for both writing notes and creating artworks. Apart from these, you can also use those papers to make envelopes, by which the design is all yours to choose. 

The steps to make these reusable papers is followed: 

1. Tear the unused papers into small pieces and add all the pieces into a blender. 

2. Add a cup of water. The amount of water should be enough to blend the paper into a perfectly mixed solution.

3. In a large container (some people use tubs), fill the container with water. 

4. Then pour the solution into the container. And mix the blended liquid with the water in the container. (You can add colors as well as dry flowers to create your own designs)

5. Dip a mold & deckle * (mold on top of the deckle) into the water. Then make sure to keep the mold & deckle balanced before bringing it back to the surface. 

6. After securing scraps onto the deckle, flip the deckle onto a towel or a flat surface that could absorb water.

7. Before removing the deckle, use a sponge to gently scrub the deckle, so that water from the paper can be absorbed onto the sponge

8. After excess water is removed, gently remove the deckle 

9. Keep the paper onto the flat surface for 1-2 days under the sun

10. Once it is dried, you will get a reusable paper. 

(Image taken from www.msshiandmrhe.com)

* Mold & deckle is a tool, by which the deckle is a four-sided frame that has a filter attached onto the frame, while the mold is another frame that should be smaller or the same size as the deckle. The size of the flower will depend on the size of mold you used. 

Image: He, S. a. M., & He, S. a. M. (2023, December 18). Handmade Paper. Ms Shi and Mr He. https://msshiandmrhe.com/