info@cartieracrisa.it
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Handmade paper
We shape each sheet
with our hands
Copyright © 2023 Cartiera Crisa by Crisa La Carta a Mano. All rights reserved. P.I. 01304940867
In our paper mill, paper is made using the ancient and traditional Fabriano method dating back to the Middle Ages. We make the paper by hand, sheet by sheet, and each sheet is unique. The raw material we use is cotton, a natural vegetable fibre that makes our products sustainable and respectful of nature. From our hands comes fine quality paper.
The material
The raw material we use in our production is cotton, an environmentally sustainable plant fibre. Cotton is the noblest fibre from which to make paper: it gives it softness, flexibility and durability, as well as an unmistakable natural white colour.
Cotton paper is 100% recyclable and contributes to a responsible culture for the well-being of our planet. We also use recycled materials for part of our production, such as recycled paper and other materials. This is our way of contributing to a circular economy.
Production steps
1. Pulp preparation
2. Sheet making
The pulp is then poured into the vat and the "worker" with the loom (the form), repeating the same gestures as the 13th century papermakers, takes a quantity of dough and with precise movements weaves the cotton fibres together to form the sheet.
The cotton, along with water and a small amount of glue, is fed into a Dutch-style refiner called an 'olandesina' and processed for a few hours, depending on the type of paper being produced.
3. Placed
4. Pressing
The stacked sheets and felt are then placed in the press, where they lose about 50% of their water content. When finished, the sheet can be removed from the felt.
Once the sheet is formed, the "worker" gives the mould to the "ponitore", who lets it drain for a few seconds and then places it on a woollen felt: a pile of felts and sheets, called "posta", is gradually formed.
5. Drying
After pressing, the sheet is hung in the drying racks and dried naturally.
Watermark
The watermark is an invention of the papermakers of Fabriano: they realised that by placing a brass or bronze wire over the cloth of the mould, it was possible to obtain a mark visible against the light directly on the sheet.
In the beginning, the watermarks were very simple and the master papermakers used them to mark their own paper; as time went by, the watermarks took on more and more different, articulated and elegant forms.
In our workshop we make watermarks to create unique pieces, to personalise each order according to the needs and wishes of our customers.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for any further information!