Last week Amy had the joy of visiting our paper mill in Sweden to see some of our favourite papers being made. Whilst we always start with UK-made papers, sadly the two fountain pen quality papers that were made in the UK have recently gone out of production. We are doing all we can to get these back on the machines up in Cumbria, but for now we buy as much as can from the UK (including virtually all of our cover papers). But when it comes to the pages inside our notebooks and diaries, the quality of your writing experience must come first, which is why we go slightly further afield to Munkedal in Sweden, where this sustainably-run paper mill has been specialising in white papers exclusively for centuries.
As with all paper mills, this one is located on a river which provides the water needed for paper-making, and which historically provided the power too.
Amy chatting with our host at the paper mill, as we toured the factory. It's an incredibly hot and steamy environment as the paper pulp is mixed, before being rolled into smooth sheets. Our super-smooth high quality paper is more expensive to make, because it passes through more rollers to make it much smoother than, say, the paper used in paperback books.
We learned all about how the paper is made. These samples had different ingredients — the wood pulp, which comes from sustainably managed forests in Sweden and from further afield. There is a balance between the properties of the wood pulp and the growing speed of the tress, which is all taken into account. The pulp then has 'size' added, which gives it opacity and consistency. In this area, one of the most readily-available ingredients is marble dust from nearby quarries, but paper mills also often use chalk.
The fountain-pen-friendly we use in our notebooks and diaries is carefully calibrated to provide a pleasing smooth surface for writing, excellent opacity, and a beautiful warm white tone.
A huge thank you to GF Smith and Munken Paper for hosting us. We were also treated to a trip out in a rowing boat on this beautiful lake, a sauna and fire-roasted dinner overlooking the lake, which was all pretty spectacular. We were very generously put up in a B&B which used to be the mill-owner's house, so in the morning we took the walk down the hill from the house they would have lived in, to visit the paper mill, retracing his steps.
Connecting with the landscape, and with the people, involved in making the materials we use is so important to us. We believe that their passion, dedication and expertise are baked into the product, so you can really feel that quality when you are using it day to day.
And of course, transparent production is central to everything we do at Mark+Fold, so we are so pleased to be able to share this glimpse behind the scenes.
