Clackamas County logo

Papermaking With Recycled Paper

Ready to try your hand at recycled papermaking? With the help or permission of an adult, follow these simple instructions to make your own.

Materials and Equipment:

  • used junk mail, office/school paper or grocery bags
  • kitchen blender (great garage sale buy)
  • water
  • embroidery hoop
  • fiberglass window screening piece 1" larger than embroidery hoop
  • old towels (paper dyes may stain), sponge and piece of sheeting
  • cookie or candy molds or other household objects
  • laundry or storage tub

The Process

  1. BlenderFill tub one inch deep with water. Fold an old towel into thirds and set next to tub. Fasten screening into hoop. Tear four-five (81/2 X 11") sheets of used paper into pieces about one inch square. Fill blender 3/4 full of water. Add torn paper to blender.
  2. PUT LID ON BLENDER! Blend at medium to high for 30-60 seconds until you have pulp. Optional: add construction paper, leaves or flowers and blend a few seconds more. Hold hoop in water so screen is under water level, but rim of hoop is above water level. Pour pulp evenly to cover screen to desired thickness. Lift screen above tub. Wipe sponge repeatedly across bottom with sponge to remove excess moisture.
  3. Place screen side down on folded towel. Cover with sheeting, then with another folded towel, pressing firmly and gently everywhere inside the hoop to extract moisture. Remove upper towel and sheet. Lift hoop. Holding it firmly by one side, rap on table top. If paper doesn't release, rap again. Lift paper out carefully.
  4. Now you can press it into a mold to emboss. I like to hold the mold in my hand and press the wet paper sheet into it. Press firmly across entire mold. Gently lift paper from mold. Set on a used sheet of paper to air dry. It will curl if it drys too quickly. May also be dried in the microwave on defrost setting for 1-2 minutes depending on paper thickness, If you're not embossing, your papermay be ironed (with a press cloth) to produce a flat, thinner sheet.

Every Ton of Paper We Recycle 

  • Saves 1/2 the energy to make paper from wood
  • Saves 3 Cu. Yd. landfill space
  • Reduces pollution to air by 73%
  • Reduces pollution to water by 35%
  • Conserves about 8,000 gallons of water