I am not an expert at this, and I’m learning as I go. But I just want to show how easy and fun (and possibly spiritually cleansing) recycling one’s old papers can be.

The Igredients

• Old papers:
  • journal pages
  • schoolwork
  • letters
  • old artwork
  • or just junk mail or junk paper
  • don’t use paper with tape or staples or plastic windows or glue (like from modern envelopes–though the old licky-sticky type from the 20th century don’t seem to be a problem)
  • try to keep similar paper types together: copy paper separate from drawing paper etc.
• Large bucket or bowl
• A short, flat basin like a seed tray or a plastic storage bin.
• Water
• A blender (A used one from a thrift store. You probably shouldn’t be using this blender to ever make consumables again.)
• A mould and deckle (These can be brought from a crafting store or made from old photo frames and the mesh you use in a window screen.)
• Big sponge
• Felt sheets
• Place to hang the felt sheets (a clothesline is a good idea)

The Process

1. Rip your papers in to small pieces and put them in a large bucket or bowl. The smaller the better, but at least squares about the distance from tip of finger to second knuckle.
2. Cover the paper bits in water so they are totally submerged (not really such a thing as “too much water”) and let them sit at least overnight. But I think a couple days is better.

3. Put enough fresh water in your blender to reach about 1/2-3/4 capacity.
4. Grab a heavy handful of the now-soaked paper bits and put them in to the blender.
5. Cover and blend until you have a wet, pulpy soup.
6. Pour some (about 1/3) of the paper smoothie in to the basin and add enough water to thin it out. This is the part that takes practice. Too much paper pulp makes the paper ridiculously thick. Not enough and it will pull apart. You’re just going to have to experiment with different thicknesses.

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7. Dunk mould (I do not have a full mould+deckle so I actually have just been using a screen-printing screen. It’s worked but I’d like to do it right someday) in to the basin and pull it up to see the lovely even smattering of paper pulp.
8. Clear the sides of the mould (deckle is definitely useful here, I’m sure)
9. Sponge some of the moisture from the bottom of the mould.

10. Flip mould on to dry felt.
11. Press sponge into mould (a few times and really press it in)
12. Pull mould up (if the paper doesn’t release, just keep trying. This is, again, where the deckle comes in handy)
13. Sponge the paper once more.

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14. Hang felt to dry for a couple of days in a place with good airflow and where it can drip. The paper will stay stuck to the felt.
15. Peel new sheets of paper from felt.

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Now, surely with better tools they can be made stronger and easier to use, but I’m enjoying using them in my typewriter.