Paper Rugs Insight

Most of us think of paper as a finished product a product with many uses Of course its primary and most ancient use is as a writing surface but paper can also serve as a raw material as an ingredient in another finished product

A Chinese man, Ts'ai-Lun, living in the second century A.D. is credited with developing the earliest papermaking technology. In the almost two millennia since Ts'ai-Lun, quite a few changes have been made in paper manufacturing, but the essentials are the same. The raw material is cellulose in some form, often in more than one form. Until the mid-nineteenth century, papermakers began with fabrics made of linen, cotton, hemp, ramie -- any cellulosic material. Paper remained a fairly precious commodity because of the always-limited supply of rags and the slow, labor-inten- sive nature of the process. It was in the middle of the nineteenth century that the technology for turning wood into pulp and thereby into paper was developed. This gave papermakers a readily available and renew- able source of cellulose. As paper became plentiful and inexpensive, we began to use it almost everywhere for nearly every purpose. Then came the electronic age with its technology and a new perspective on the writ- ten word. As paper becomes less and less essential for everyday communication, we find a renewal of interest- ing the use of paper for more specialized purposes and even in the beauty of paper for its own sake -- as art.

Distinctive paper products begin with specialized pulp, using the appropriate combination of cellulose sources that will give the product the qualities it needs to perform well. Conifers -- fir, spruce, hemlock, balsam and pines -- are the trees most frequently used. The coniferous softwoods produce stronger paper than the hardwoods, but the characteristics of wood also vary with where the tree is grown. Trees in wet, warm climates grow faster, producing coarser, heavier fibers, while the slower-growing trees in dry, cold climates produce finer, denser fibers.

The pulp-making process has many variations, but they all involve cooking wood chips in a caustic solution to separate the cellulose fibers and dissolve the lignin and other ingredients in wood. Kraft pulp, also known as sulphate pulp, uses a vat that is less caustic than some others, producing a paper that is stronger but not so refined in texture and color than others.

The pulp that is used to make Merida Meridian's twisted paper cord is made from conifers grown in cold, northern climates, using the Kraft process when that is appropriate. The use of recycled fibers in pulp results in a weaker paper product, so Merida uses only virgin paper. When the pulp is being blended, resins are added to the mixture to produce a high wet-strength paper. The resins coat the fibers, adding dura- bility and water resistance. Dyes can also be introduced into the pulp at this stage to make colored papers.

Merida's paper cord begins with a 40 inch wide roll of paper. This is cut into strips of the appropriate width to make the size yarn we need. These strips are twisted on a high-speed twister that is set to put in the correct number of twists per inch. The result is firm and strong, but not kinky and over-twisted. During this process a wax emul- sion is applied to the paper as a lubricant to help it spin smoothly. The coating also adds to the yarn's water resis- tance. The finished paper cord is shipped to Merida's mill in Fall River, Massachusetts, USA, where we weave it into the Adirondack Collection of 100% paper floor coverings.

Merida's paper carpeting is very tightly woven, but soil and dirt particles sitting on the surface will be ground into the fibers, causing premature wear. Therefore, frequent vacuuming is essential to the maintenance of your paper carpet, even though it may not look soiled. Liquid spills should be blotted up immediately with a clean, absorbent cloth. Use a damp (not wet) sponge with a small amount of liquid dish detergent to wash stains. Blot as much liquid as possible out of the carpet, then continue to dry the area with a blow dryer. Do not leave any area wet. Never steam clean or wet shampoo your paper carpet. Scuff marks may be removed with an ordinary pencil eraser. Paper floor coverings, like all our natural fiber materials, should be used indoors only in dry areas of the home or office.