Created by the ancient Egyptians and crafted by the Chinese, paper and the paper-making process have been cultivated over millenia, resulting in more than just writing material. Paper and its products are utilized in photography, insulation, wrapping/packaging and numerous other outlets. Paper comes in all sizes and shapes, and its potential is limitless. Today, it's one of our most basic forms of communication.
      How is Paper Made?
Paper making is the composition of cellulose fibers, interlocking them with one another, utilizing water suspension on wire screens. Wood fibers are separated, washed, and eventually screened for remaining fibers. They are then dried and pressed, resulting in a unified sheet. The process can also be done chemically. This procedure is referred to as pulping. "Nearly all paper and board is made of woodpulp, either new or recycled. Today, pulpwood usually uses the parts of the tree that are left after wood has been used for other commercial purposes." In addition to wood fibers, mineral and vegetable fibers are often used. Paper mills are either fully integrated, in which there are paper mills and pulp mills on site or non-integrated, where wood pulp is purchased from an outside source.
      Paper Predecessor
Papyrus, an early predecessor of paper, was crafted using a similar process. It's estimated that around 3000 B.C., ancient Egyptians first crafted papyrus. Papyrus takes its name from the papyrus plant that grows alongside the Nile River in Egypt. To process the plant, they first removed the fibrous layers within, laying them side-by-side and overlapping them at right angles with another set of arranged layers. It is then dampened and pressed. To seal the layer together, the sap of a plant, which is similar to glue, is used to bond the papers together. Due to their durability and craftsmanship, many ancient transcripts still exist to this day. Papermaking experts HQ Papermaker state "Although papyrus sheets were similar to paper in terms of function, being laminated sheets they were technically more like a mat and therefore not the same as the papers of today."
      Asian Modification
Paper did not meet its full maturity until the innovation of an official of the Imperial Court of China. In 105 C.E., Ts'ai Lun of the Han Dynasty concocted a paper product composed of mulberry and other strong, woody fibers, as well as hemp, old rags and fishnets. Influenced by China, Korea and Japan would soon follow in this practice.
      Eastern Influence
Paper making would eventually make its way westward, reaching Tibet and Samarkand in Central Asia. Arabs set up paper mills in Baghdad around 793, cultivating their own paper-making techniques. Their writing material consisted mainly of rags and was eventually coated with starch paste to ensure durability. In time, the paper-making process reached Europe, resulting in paper mills in France and Spain. Italy tried to improve the Arab method by paying more attention to the actual paper-making process rather than the assemblage of materials. Damascus and Morocco even got in on the paper-making process.
      Improvements
After many years of trial and error, the paper making process has been enhanced by modernization. Products improved and labor assignments were designated. Instead of manual labor, machines were doing the work by the 19th century. Inferior materials were abandoned and quality became priority. New paper grades were discovered, as well as new sheet-forming options. Some paper is still produced by hand by hobbyists or artists.