Sources and origins
Paper is made from new fibres or recycledUsed materials that have been reprocessed to make new materials. material. wood pulpWood fibres processed and reduced down with chemicals or mechanically broken down into smaller parts to make paper. is obtained by cutting down trees and breaking down the wood. The bark and chippings are then removed and ground down or cooked with chemicals to extract the celluloseA carbohydrate. It forms the cell wall in plant cells. fibres. softwood treesSoftwood trees have a fast growth rate and are coniferous - they usually have needles and cones and do not drop their leaves. are traditionally used to create wood pulp as the fibres are longer, making stronger paper; some manufacturers plant new trees for each one they chop down.
The pulp is filtered, squeezed, bleached and pounded before other materials, such as chalk or chemicals, are added to change the opacityHow visible something is. and absorbencyAn ability to hold a liquid such as water. of the paper. The excess water and chemicals are drained out of the pulp by pushing it through sets of rollers, called calenderA high-pressure roller., before being shaken and blown to dry out the fibres. This process is repeated until the pulp is fully dried, and then it is pressed to create a smooth finish.
Additional treatmentsA series of processes., or coatingsLayers of a product such as paint or varnish that are applied to a surface., can be added to give the paper different aestheticHow something looks..
