5 Things About Paper You May Not Have Known
Odds are, paper commonly features in your everyday environment, whether you’re using it to jot down your to-do list or print some notes. From the currency in your purse and the packaging of your favorite snack to essentials like tissue paper – we can all agree that paper has some pretty important uses. However, paper isn’t just important. It’s also super interesting, as proven by the following little-known paper facts. Check out the 5 Things about paper you might not know below.
One Pine Tree Goes a Long Way
A single pine tree can produce as much as 80,500 sheets of paper (statistic from How Stuff Works). This amount of paper is roughly equivalent to 200 novels. However, you would think that given this fact, we wouldn’t need to cut down so many trees. The truth is, paper usage in the world is also mind-blowingly high.
Billions of books are produced in the United States alone per year, not to mention the tons and tons of paper used by American households and businesses in day-to-day runnings. This is why we celebrate forest farming and managed timberlands which are massive, sustainable crops, many found in North America.
Not All Paper Comes from Trees
While the thought of paper mentally conjures up the picture of a tree, paper can also be made from other materials, such as bamboo, flax, wheat straw, and sugar cane waste. In fact, the Chinese, who invented paper around 100 B.C., initially used hemp to manufacture it.
Also, U.S. paper money, historically is a blend of 75% cotton and 25% linen. This not only makes it more durable than ordinary paper, but it also gives the currency a unique appearance and texture.
Paper Takes Up a Big Chunk of Landfill Space
You have probably never considered where all those photocopies you don’t need any more go after your waste bucket is emptied. It may come as a surprise that paper represents 26% or more of landfill and municipal waste (statistic taken from The World Counts).
However, humans are getting better at avoiding this since paper is now the most recycled resource. In addition to being better for the environment, recycling reduces the amount of electrical energy and water needed to manufacture paper. So by doing a simple task such as recycling paper you are pushing our environment towards the better!
Paper Can Lose Its Health
One of the most familiar paper facts is the yellow effect of aging paper, especially when exposed to sunlight. However, you may not have known why paper deteriorates.
First of all, most paper contains cellulose fibers as building blocks. These cellulose fibers decompose, and the chemical reaction produces acid molecules that contribute to paper aging. Acids can also be absorbed from the environment or added to the paper during processing. Additionally, storing paper in humid conditions promotes microbial growth, which stains and weakens paper over time.
There Are Many Ways to Measure Paper Quality
Knowing the factors that affect paper quality helps you to determine the best paper to use for specific jobs. Here are some things to consider:
- Composition. As mentioned earlier, paper can be made from cotton or wood, and the choice of material affects the overall quality and durability.
- Opacity. This looks at how transparent the paper is, i.e., how much light the paper lets through.
- Weight. Paper weight is best measured using grams per square meter. Generally, the higher the GSM, the higher the paper quality. If you’re more familiar with basis weights, find an easy paper chart for comparing gsm and base weight pounds.
- If you are having trouble choosing the right weight of paper for your project check out this guide.
- Coating. Types of paper coating include varnish, aqueous, and U.V.
Conclusion
Hope you enjoyed the 5 things about paper you might not know, but when choosing a paper for your next project make sure to check out PaperPapers.com. On their site you can go through the best information so you can make an informed decision, but if you have any questions their qualified staff will be sure to help you.
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