Modern paper is made from wood pulp, but paper can be made from many other materials, like hemp, vegetables, cotton, linen, and even seaweed.
Back in the pre-Christian era, paper was invented. Early paper was mainly made of hemp and linen. By the late 18th century, with the rise of cotton production, cotton rags also became a source of material to produce paper.
The paper production process is simple if quality isn’t an issue:
- Pulp a fibrous material by soaking it in water, and beating it into small fibers.
- Using a flat mold, sieve out some of the pulp, and swish it around to get an even layer of pulp.
- Let the mold drain water until a sheet of wet pulp forms.
- Press a “felt” down onto the paper, and flip the mold over. Remove the mold, leaving a sheet of wet paper on the felt.
- Wait for the paper to dry.