Archival Concerns: A Discussion of Fiber and Process

Written by Coral Jensen, previous owner of True Blue Art Supply and Artpaper Inc

It is easy to be confused when discerning archival quality in papers these days. There is now just enough information about paper to make a novice dangerous. One of the main questions about paper that I field is whether a paper is acid free and lignen free. Another is whether a paper is cotton rag. This issue will try to give more information about these and other paper concerns so that you may choose papers to better fit your needs.

Paper is made from cellulose fibers derived from plant sources. The best papers are made from plant cells that are very high in cellulose. Each fiber has its own shape, size, and structure both before and after processing. An understanding of the type of fiber used is of great value in predicting the behavioral characteristics and life of paper.

One of the first fibers that became part of an artist's vocabulary is cotton. Cotton in its natural state is pure cellulose and does not require much preliminary treatment. Cotton paper has two sources: linter and rag. Cotton linter has shorter fibers left after the ginning process whcih are not used in the thread spinning operation. These are sold as blotter in sheets already washed and boiled. Papers such as Stonehenge and Lenox 100 are made of cotton linter. They are reasonably priced papers and are suitable for students who do not wish to spend much and still want archival quality. These drawing papers make it harder to fully erase dry media and they have a limited ability for color and tones. In printmaking they are great proofing papers, but wouldn't be my choice for printing an edition as they do not deliver a full range of values and detail.

Cotton rag comes from the part of the cotton plant that is used for textile manufacture. The fibers used for threads are longer and tougher than cotton linter. The paper maker undoes all the mesh process of weaving and frees the fibers from the tougher cell surface which makes for stronger paper. I have heard that recently the distinction between linter and rag has become loosely defined in most catalogs. Even the best handmade papers are described as being made out of simply 100% cotton. Indian papers are primarily made from khadda, unbleached hand-spun rag left over from the garment industry. The cotton and hemp rag along with gelatin or wheat startch sizing give these papers their exceptional strength.

A great amount of papers on the market, both commercial and fine art are made from wood pulp. Sulphite pulp (wood pulp) first went through a process using sulfuric acid. The idea originated in the mid-1800's and since then the process has been refined. Wood pulp is now being used in a newer process that breaks down the pulp and isolates the cellulose fibers from the resinous substances in the wood. This produces a high alpha cellulose wood fiber paper which promises to be comparable to most rag papers in its longevity. An example of this kind of paper is the excellent Merten Speiss, a German watercolor paper made by Hahnemühle paper mill.

In most European countries only pure rag pulp is used in making handmade papers, and for the very finest sorts of papers only white rags are employed. Among the European mills that make handmade papers are Sicar which makes Alcantara, Velke Losiny that makes Moldau and Prague papers, and Mexico's De Ponte making Tamayo, Diego, and Kahlo papers.

For paper term definitions including fibers and sizings, please refer to our glossary.