Vintage Paper Is Full Of Surprises: 7 Great Facts About Vintage Paper

Let's talk about paper. Most of us take it for granted, but despite the ongoing advance of technology, it still serves an almost uncountable number of useful purposes in all aspects of daily life.

Vintage paper does that, too, but definitely in a different way. The so-called "old paper" can transform printing paper into a unique vehicle that can be entertaining, informative, and illuminating-sometimes all three at once. You can even buy Harry Potter paper for your scrapbooking if you want to do a different kind of vintage paper!

Most people know little or nothing about vintage paper, though, so let's do some exploring and have some fun in the process. Here are seven fun facts about a vintage paper that will definitely change your perspective on what it is, what it can do, and how it can be used in different projects.

Parchment Is Also A Many-Splendored Paper

The natural color of parchment is brown, but bleaching alters the color as part of the process of customizing parchment for a wide variety of uses. Companies like Thunderbolt Paper have a variety of procedures to colorize parchment to give it an impressive array of looks and colors. 

Some Types of Vintage Paper Are Environmentally Friendly 

Paper manufacturers have been making a consistent effort to be more environmentally responsible in their manufacturing methods in the last decade or two, and some vintage paper fits the bill perfectly. Unbleached parchment paper, for instance, is 100 percent biodegradable, and other types of vintage paper that are plant-based fall into this category as well. 

Vintage Paper Isn't Just Aged-It Can Be Made, Too

There are many DIY recipes for vintage paper. One of the most popular is to use coffee, which can be used to stain paper in a number of ways to get a vintage look. The best "recipes" will give you an authentic look that can mimic the appearance of the real thing, especially if you're meticulous and willing to experiment.

The First Vintage Paper Dates Back To Ancient Egypt

Most experts believe the origin of vintage paper can be traced back to 2000 BC with the invention of what the Romans called "papyrus." Modern paper makers don't consider this a real paper, though, as it was made from compressed sheets of reed stalks.

Vintage Newspapers Really Were Made of Rags

Back before the Internet took over our lives, physical newspapers were sometimes referred to as "rags," and for good reason. They really were made of rags that were used by paper mills to produce the final product, and one estimate from 1856 claims it took 405 million pounds of rags to feed the paper mills that produced all the newspapers "consumed" by Americans that year.

Vintage Paper Can Also Be Made from Tree Bark

One of the most popular kinds of vintage paper is mulberry bark paper, which is known in the industry as mulberry paper. Because it has a neutral pH, it's commonly used for collages, painting, scrapbooks, and wedding invitations, among other things.

Vintage Paper is Also Used for Government Records

One of the most durable forms of paper is lokta paper, so much so that it's been used for government records as well as sacred religious texts. The paper is made from a high-elevation shrub called the Daphne bush that is normally harvested by hand, and it is very resistant to tearing, mildew, and insects.

Conclusion

These are some unusual facts about vintage paper-what kind do you use, and where do you get it from?