How to Make Paper from Plants?

If you have the necessary ingredients, you are invited to a virtual paper-making workshop at home. Daisies are almost certainly growing in your surroundings, and even if not, there is quite a wide selection of plants available. Join in and enjoy.

Written by: Izhar Neumann

The process of making paper is so simple that the basic concept has not changed since it was invented in China about 2,000 years ago. Legend has it that the eunuch Cai Lun was walking by the river and saw algae that had dried on a fishing net. He peeled off the greenish surface, waved it in the air, and exclaimed—"Behold, paper!" (in Chinese)—thereby gaining the inspiration for paper manufacturing (the green sheet used for rolling sushi is actually paper made from nori seaweed grown in the sea).

In China, the secret of paper production was kept for about 600 years (during the magnificent opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, paper was presented as one of their four most important inventions). From there, it spread to Japan and Samarkand, traveled along the Silk Road to our region, and eventually reached Europe and the Americas.

Wherever "Chinese" paper arrived, it replaced the local writing medium of that area—be it papyrus in Egypt, amate in Mexico, parchment in Europe, or tapa in Hawaii. Its simple preparation and the ability to produce sheets of any size enabled its global spread while adapting to local conditions (characteristic plants, drying conditions, etc.).

Technological developments over the years—especially the Industrial Revolution at the end of the 19th century, along with the growing demand for paper due to the advancement of printing and the consumption of paper for packaging and dozens of other products—advanced the paper machine into a continuous, rapid process that outputs dozens of kilometers of paper a day.

To experiment with making paper at home, basic kitchen equipment is needed. The same conditions found in nature, as in the case of seaweed paper, are still required today (whether in the computerized, industrialized factories of Hadera Paper or when making paper in your kitchen): plant-based fibers, water, and a screen for filtering and drying.

Plants for Paper Making

Paper is essentially a network of fibers held together (by hydrogen bonds formed spontaneously during the drying process) in no fixed direction. While in woven fabric the fibers are spun and woven in a warp and weft pattern, under a microscope paper looks like a "jumble" of fibers facing all directions. To achieve this state, we must first break down the plant into fibers and then "reorganize" them using water and a screen.

Which plants are suitable for paper making? Virtually every plant contains fibers (needed for stability, fluid transport, etc.), but to get strong paper that allows for drawing, printing, folding, packaging, and more, we prefer plants with long, flexible, and strong fibers.

In the past, people used plants cultivated specifically for paper production, such as the Paper Mulberry (known as kozo in Japanese) or Cannabis (hemp—not the strain used for smoking) in Europe. They also collected plants from the wild, such as Esparto Grass (Stipa tenacissima, used in England and harvested in North Africa), used agricultural by-products like wheat straw, or recycled textile fibers from cotton and linen fabrics.

Today, the industry uses conifers and other trees planted specifically for this purpose. The popular belief that the paper industry is responsible for the deforestation of rainforests is incorrect—though this does not mean we can forego paper recycling, which saves trees!

Required Equipment

A stainless steel pot, baking or washing soda, a deep mesh strainer (such as a pasta strainer), a meat mallet or blender, a 1–3 liter pitcher, a basin/tub, and a flat filtering screen (such as a flour sifter or window screen).

Collecting Plants

In this season, you can use wild plants that grow in abundance, such as mallow stalks (after eating the leaves...), daisy stalks, or any stem that is difficult to tear manually. In dry seasons, you can use aquatic plants like reed leaves or dry plant material such as straw or corn husk leaves. In an urban environment, you can use stems of fountain grass (Pennisetum) growing on traffic islands, fresh bark trimmed from ficus trees, or organic waste like woody celery stalks! (This is only a partial list; there are hundreds of suitable plants, some of which require experimentation).

Softening the Plants

Before breaking them down, soften the plants by soaking them in tap water for a day or two (fresh plants do not require soaking). Then, simmer slowly for about two hours in a stainless steel pot with baking soda (or washing soda) at a ratio of about 1 cup of soda per 10 liters of water. Bring the soaked fibers to a boil in water (ensuring they are fully covered) along with the soda, cover, and simmer on low heat while stirring occasionally.

Breaking Down the Plants

After cooking, rinse the fibers thoroughly in the deep mesh strainer until the water runs clear. Next, break them into individual fibers by pounding them for about 15 minutes with a meat mallet on a stable surface, or by blending them for 15 seconds in a blender. Be careful to add only small batches of fibers to the blender with plenty of water to avoid overheating the motor. If you place a handful of fibers into a clear jar with water and shake it, a fairly uniform suspension should form. If not, continue the breaking-down process.

Pouring the Fibers

Dilute the broken-down fibers with regular water inside the pitcher until you achieve a thin suspension. Fill the basin with a few centimeters of water and float the flat screen inside it (a flour sifter, a small frame with screen mesh stretched over it, or a stretched canvas frame) with the raised frame side facing up. Pour the fiber mixture onto the screen while using your free hand to spread the fibers evenly across the surface. Lift the screen straight up out of the basin, shaking it gently to improve uniformity.

Drying the Paper

Place the screen at a slight incline facing the sun (or in front of an air conditioner). Once completely dry (which can take a few hours to a day, depending on thickness, humidity, etc.) and when the paper feels smooth and warm to the touch, carefully peel it off the screen—and behold, paper!

Additions

You can add variety to the fibers by adding pigments, petals from flowers (non-protected species), colorful spices, confetti, and more. Mix all additions directly into the pitcher before pouring.