Taiwan Handmade Paper

Everyday throughout the island nation of Taiwan, highly skilled artisans create an amazing range of handmade papers using time-tested techniques that have been passed down through the generations. The most common and popular Taiwan Handmade Papers are crushed leather, granite and pearlized.

Taiwan makes beautiful handmade paper using several fibers. Fiber patterns may involve dramatic inclusions, like crushed rope, grasses, or even flowers. Textures are deliberately varied for effect, and tinting is another special technique. Taiwan also makes hsuan paper, the world-famous paper used for Chinese painting and calligraphy.

The history of papermaking in Taiwan, and watching a demonstration of traditional papermaking techniques can be easy with a trip to the Su-Ho Memorial Paper Museum. The story of Su-Ho Memorial Paper Museum begins with Chen Su-ho, who spent his entire life in the making of paper. As a young man he had engaged in traditional papermaking in Puli, and he eventually developed a process for making various specialty papers.

Su-Ho Memorial Paper Museum
The paper museum opened in 1995 is a much more lively place than most museums. Four floors of surprising opportunities invite the visitor to do much more than walk around eyeballing artifacts. The first floor is a lively, fully equipped workshop where quality paper is hand-made every day. Actually, anything can be used to make paper, as long as it has fiber. Old rags, pineapple peels, and sugar cane make nice paper. Mulberry bark is a traditional favorite. The main ingredients are mashed and mixed with water and then chestnut root extract is added to keep the mixture suspended instead of sinking to the bottom of the tank.

One of the oldest bits of paper in the world, made from herbs that repel insects and the history of papermaking in Taiwan is displayed on the second floor. The third floor offers a laboratory of experiments set up along one wall. On the fourth floor, you can try your own hand at making paper.

Taiwan Paper Industry
Taiwan's paper and paperboard industry has grown dramatically. In 1945, paper production was 14,000tons. During the 1980s and early 1990s the annual industry output has hovered at about 4.5 million tons each year.

In 2003 the Taiwan paper industry used 1.2 million tons of virgin pulp. Of that figure, 384,000 tons of pulp was supplied domestically whereas imports totaled 784,000 tons. Taiwan's paper industry has also benefited from laws enacted in 2001 governing waste recycling. Because of the growth in recycling in Taiwan's major cities, the use rate reached 88.3 percent and the recovery rate was as high as 58.9 percent in 2003.