The History of Papermaking

Although records are unclear, paper is thought to have been invented around 105 CE (find out what was used instead of paper). This was probably the year in which papermaking was perfected and presented publicly at the court of Emperor Ho Ti of China. The inventor was Ts'ai Lun, Privy Councillor to the Emperor.

Paper was originally made from old rags, tree bark and fish nets. The fibres were beaten into separate units, mixed with water and lifted out on a fine mesh screen. The material left on the screen was a sheet of intertwined fibres that then needed to be pressed and dried. This basic method of papermaking has not changed in 2000 years.

The art of papermaking was kept secret by the Chinese for over 500 years. It reached Korea in about 600 CE and Japan 15 years after that. By the 8th century, papermaking had found its way to Samarkand and from there it travelled to Egypt and Morocco. It is documented that in the 12th century, people were making paper in Valencia, Spain, and then it spread to Italy in the 13th century and to France in the 14th century. Papermaking reached England in 1495, but it took another 200 years (1690) before paper was made in North America.

Paper was not produced on a large scale in Canada until 1803, when a Quebec company began producing paper for the Montreal Gazette. The first paper "machine" to run in Canada was set up in the Don Valley, on the Don River.

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