: Boil the fibers in water mixed with an alkali like washing soda (sodium carbonate) or caustic soda . This removes lignin and non-cellulose materials that make plants rigid.
To produce handmade "deep" (thick or textured) paper from plant fibers, you must first extract cellulose by boiling plant material in an alkaline solution and then beat it into a pulp that can be layered. 1. Harvest & Prepare Fibers plant fibre
: Use plants high in cellulose like flax , hemp , yucca , cattails , or bamboo . : Boil the fibers in water mixed with
: Flip the wet sheet onto a damp cloth (couching) and press out excess water with a sponge or heavy boards. Allow it to air dry for several days. Allow it to air dry for several days
: A good rule of thumb is to bend a leaf; if it bends without snapping, it likely has enough fiber for paper. 2. The Cooking Process (Breaking Down Lignin)
: Use a blender or a manual mallet to break the cooked fibers into a mushy pulp.
: Cook for 1 to 3 hours until the fibers pull apart easily when tugged.