There, works are published with a single objective: to share the learning obtained through experiences. Lately, the focus has been on artisanal recycling, which aroused curiosity regarding industrial recycling. In the context of the paper industry, there is a positive evolution in the recycling of paper and cardboard: more than half of the 90 million tons produced in Europe last year were made from recycled fibers.

The recycling process begins by removing all contaminating elements from used papers and, if necessary, ink residues. The raw material resulting from this process can be used to produce 100% recycled paper or paper with a mixture of recycled fiber and virgin fiber, depending on the desired characteristics.

Both recycled and virgin fibers have their benefits. In practice, recycled fiber would not exist without virgin fiber, since the demand for paper and cardboard products would not be met without both. The continuous production of trees for virgin pulp helps reduce the greenhouse effect.

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“(...) we are evolving in the right direction when it comes to paper and cardboard recycling: last year alone, of the 90 million tons that Europe produced, more than half were made from recycled fibers.”

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A fiber can be recycled multiple times, but not indefinitely. Paper recycling requires adding a certain amount of new fibers each time there is a recycling cycle. In addition, many types of papers require virgin fiber in their composition to achieve the appropriate technical properties.

And can we recycle all types of paper? Unfortunately, no. On average, about 22% of the paper used cannot be recycled... Fats, some types of varnish, plasticization, all of this contributes to an end in the life of a paper. This means that new paper has to be produced continuously and, thanks to this need, the industry ends up promoting the planting and maintenance of forests that, in Europe alone, have grown 44,000 km2 in the last ten years!

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In fact, were it not for the pandemic situation in which we currently find ourselves and the recycling numbers would continue to improve. Portugal, for example, isn't doing badly at all! According to Ponto Verde Society, the recycling of paper and cardboard increased 14% in 2019 compared to 2018. And we can all do a little bit. Pull the imagination, collect, reuse...

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We discovered how we could do our part when we visited our graphic production facility, Printzone. Although we were familiar with the production processes, we admitted that we were unaware of the enormous amount of leftover paper that printing companies send for recycling.

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Whenever we advise a customer or start designing something for printing, we try to avoid wasting paper as much as possible, optimizing the dimensions of the machines and always planning with material efficiency in mind. However, when we are sitting at the computer paginating, drawing or budgeting, it's hard to see the real waste: all the tests, repetitions, adjustments, cropped margins, clippings and strips...

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Of course we like to create new objects, recycling is also a challenge, or we don't welcome every transformation process with joy! We see the value of reusing materials that would have been thrown away at the outset, and it's a real pleasure to transform them into something new and useful.

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Here is a “recipe” for handmade recycled paper, which can be modified to suit everyone's taste, and which I hope will help combat waste and cheer up some family afternoons.

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Required materials:

Paper (newsprint, photocopy, magazines, etc. Avoid laminated paper). Water. Blender. 2 wooden frames of the same size (one of them with a mosquito net or tulle). Rectangular board. Sponge Absorbent cloths. Food coloring (optional). Leaves, petals and spices (optional)

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Let's start by cutting the paper into pieces and letting it soak for a few hours. If we are using newspaper sheets, the recycled paper tends to be darker, because of the ink.

Once soaked, the paper is placed in a blender, adding more water if necessary, before shredding. The more liquid the paste obtained after this process is, the thinner the recycled paper becomes.

This preparation is then placed on a tray and it is at this point that, optionally, a few drops of food coloring can be added, to add color, and leaves or petals to taste. Kids always like this part!

Let's then put the two frames together: the one with the mosquito net should have the net facing up and the one without the net should be above it. The objective is to immerse the frames in the board, then removing them and letting the water drain. Excess water must be removed with a sponge (be careful not to let the paper get caught!)

At this stage, the frame without a net can now be removed and a cloth can be placed over the frame with a net and a sponge applied on top of it, to remove excess water once again. After removing this frame as well, we place the cloth with our paper in the sun so that it dries well.

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Once dry, the paper is ready to live its second life!

This is a unique and special type of paper, ideal for making labels, invitations, for lining notebooks, etc... so you have the courage to cut it! It's up to everyone's imagination.

If you liked this technique and are going to try it with the scraps of paper at home, tell me how your creation turned out.

Maybe you will get one Finepaper?

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