How Is Wrapping Paper Made?

Wrapping paper design is its most important selling factor.

The tradition of wrapping gifts in paper has existed since the invention of paper in China in 105 A.D. Since then, the use of wrapping paper has spread across the globe. Wrapping paper comes in many varieties, colors and designs, and, from plain tissue paper to the most elaborate foil-embossed designs, it can add creativity and excitement to the giving of a gift. The production of wrapping paper begins in the same way other paper is made.

Production

The basic principle of producing paper is to produce pulp from softwood, which is then bleached. The wet pulp is sprayed onto a screen, where the water drips off, leaving behind a mesh of fibers that bond together. The paper is passed through rollers to squeeze out the excess water. The paper is then heated and dried between large rollers.

Print

The paper is then ready to be printed with a design using rotogravure printing, which means that the design is engraved as a series of depressions or recesses on the printing plate. This is done either by hand cutting or by the use of chemicals or acids to etch the surface. The ink used in the design can be natural or synthetic.

Design

The wrapping paper design is probably the most important factor for manufacturers to consider because, ultimately, it is the design that will catch the eye of the consumer and sell the roll of wrapping paper. A good deal of planning and expertise goes into the design. It may be produced by a designer based with the manufacturer or by an external designer. The design may be hand-drawn, hand-painted or produced digitally using design software. The design also may include the use of foil or other special finishes.

Cost

Earth911.com states that $2.6 billion is spent annually on wrapping paper. The cost of wrapping paper per roll varies widely and depends on the quality of the paper and the design. Some wrapping paper can be very thin and, therefore, inexpensive while, at the other end of the scale, thick, high-quality, well-designed wrapping paper can be comparatively expensive.

Recycling

The paper industry is often criticized not only for the deforestation necessary to produce paper but also because the ink and bleach used in the production of wrapping paper and other kinds of paper can be harmful to the environment. Recycling wrapping paper can be difficult, especially if the wrapping paper contains a lot of foil and plastic. Recycling centers can be contacted about whether or not they accept wrapping paper for recycling. One of the easiest ways to recycle wrapping paper is to keep the used paper for future use, either for wrapping a present for somebody else or to create homemade decorations.

References

• Georgia Institute of Technology, Robert C. Williams Paper Museum: The Invention of Paper
• TAPPI, Paper University: How is Paper Made?
• "Encyclopaedia Britannica;" Gravure Printing
• Earth911.com: Green Wrapping
• Treecycle Recycled Paper and Woodelf Inc.: And We Lived Happily Ever After or Some Realities and Myths of Recycled Paper; Rick Meis; 1992