How to Make Recycled Paper From Shredded Paper

Instead of spending money on expensive stationary, add a personal touch---and help the environment---by creating your own. Practice these steps and you could become proficient at making paper in your own home.

Things You'll Need

• Shredded Paper
• Frame (Wood or Other Material)
• Wire Screen
• Staples
• Container---Large Enough to Hold Frame
• Sponge
• Clean Cloth

Instructions

1. 

   Build a frame that will be used to shape the paper. This frame can be made of any material, although wood is most common. Other materials could include wire clothes hangers, coffee can, or embroidery hoop.

2. If your frame is made of wood, use staples to attach a wire screen to it as seen in the photograph. If your frame is made of a wire hanger, wrap the screen around the hanger and staple it to itself. If your frame is made from a coffee can (or another metal item like an aluminum baking pan) then punch several holes around the perimeter of the metal with a nail and use twist ties to secure the screen to the can.

3. Fill a blender halfway with the shredded paper---the smaller the pieces, the better---and then fill the blender to the top with warm water. Blend the paper and water until it is a fairly smooth pulp. There should not be any large chunks remaining. Set this pulp aside and make two more batches.

4. Fill a container that is large enough to hold the frame halfway with warm water. Pour in the blended paper pulp. The greater the ratio of pulp to water, the thicker the resulting paper will be. If desired, add 2 tbsp. of starch, which will help make it easier to write on the paper.

5. Place the frame into the water, allowing the pulp to cover the screen completely. Slowly pull the frame out of the water keeping it evenly covered with pulp. If necessary, use your fingers to even out the pulp.

6. Hold the frame over the container, allowing water to drip from the pulp. Place a large piece of clean cloth onto a stack of newspaper. Turn the mold over onto the cloth. Press the screen with a sponge to remove as much water as possible, then lift the frame off of the paper.

7. Set the cloth and paper in the sun and allow it to dry completely before use. To dry the paper more quickly, use a microwave or oven (on very low heat). Once it has dried, you have made your very own recycled paper!

Tips & Warnings

• To further personalize your paper, mix flowers, leaves or petals to the mix after blending the pulp.