Making Paper from Linen Rags — European Hand Papermaking

For over 500 years, European paper was made from linen and cotton rags — worn-out clothing and household textiles. Rag collectors gathered the material, papermakers cut it up, soaked it in water with lime or lye to break down the fibres, then beat it to a pulp in a stamping mill or with a mallet. The pulp was suspended in a vat of water, scooped onto a wire-mesh mould with a removable deckle frame, pressed between felts, and hung to dry. The result is a strong, archival-quality paper that lasts centuries — far superior to modern wood-pulp paper. This blueprint covers the full process as practised from the 13th century onward.