The process
Our story
Plane Tree is a paper and design studio based in Tasmania. We make handmade recycled paper and paper products. We also specialise in custom design and screen-printing. Our products include greeting cards, Christmas cards, wedding stationery, corporate and personal stationery, handmade paper, writing sets, gift tags, and paper packaging. Customers may choose from our handmade paper, or from a range of high quality of commercial papers.
Our handmade paper is 100% recycled. It is both beautiful and environmentally friendly. We make custom-made paper with selected fibres, such as barley paper for the whisky industry, paper from lavender fibre, Tasmanian Native Poa grass fibre, and fibre from the Red Hot Poker plant.
Plane Tree has 30 years experience creating handmade paper and personal and corporate stationery. Our products are memorable. Select from one of our existing designs or engage us to custom make paper or stationery that is unique to you or your brand.
The process
Paper made by hand
100% recycled stock, no chemicals or dyes are used in the production of these beautiful sheets of handmade of paper. Our beaters are based on the Hollander Beater used in the 1600s in Holland. They are loaded with hot water and industry waste paper which we source from the printing industry. We only use good quality papers which are clean and have no print. This would otherwise end up as cardboard or landfill.
Making the pulp
Paper for recycling is fed into the beater. Once beaten, the paper becomes a pulp.
Pulling a sheet
The pulp is suspended in a vat of water, stirred, and the time-honoured mold and deckle is used to evenly draw up a screen of wet pulp which will become a sheet of paper.
Couching
Each sheet is then “couched” by rolling the mold onto an absorbent pad. It takes considerable skill to evenly deposit the sheet on the pad, removing air bubbles, maintaining its form, and preserving the individuality of each sheet.
Pressing
The post of wet sheets is placed in a press to remove the water.
Stacking
The sheet is now damp rather than wet and the fibres will hold the sheet in its form. At this stage sheets are stacked being “peeled” handlessly from the bed.
Resting
Here 50 new, individual sheets of paper wait on a stack, being protected and insulated by woollen sheets, until there are sufficient sheets to fill the dryer.
Drying
900 sheets are stacked into the drying process. Sheets are under pressure and are dried by fan forced cool air. After four days the sheets are dry and flat.