Meet Porridge Papers! A Nebraska Papermill & Letterpress Studio
You do what? Make paper…by hand?
It's rare to meet a hand papermaker in daily interactions, but perhaps not so rare in Lincoln, Nebraska where Porridge Papers makes its home.
Part paper mill, part letterpress studio, Porridge Papers is the brainchild of founder and owner Christopher James. What do they do? For 20 years, they've been in the business of making handmade paper from 100% waste paper scrap.
Though they have a solid selection of handmade papers and super cool letterpress printed cards, Porridge Papers is more than willing to work with you to create custom sheets -- projects in the past have included beer paper (omg), bacon scented paper (yes, please), and plantable seed papers. Don't forget stationery, invitations, envelopes, notebooks, and 'most any paper item you can dream up.
Why is Porridge Papers one of the coolest kids on the block? Well, keep reading!
EARTH-FRIENDLY PRODUCT
Hand paper making can be a sustainable craft -- and the papers that leave Porridge Papers are made from 100% recycled fibers. Whether pre-consumer or post-consumer waste, a majority of their fibers come from local sources.
LOCALLY MADE
Who made it? How was it made? These are questions that more and more of us are asking about items we consume. Buying local means supporting the makers in your community, and it's obvious that the community in Lincoln has embraced Porridge Papers. It's a beautiful thing to see owner Christopher James turn a 2000 year old technology and craft into a commercially successful business.
ANALOG IN A DIGITAL ERA
As digital technology grows more prevalent in our everyday lives, the tactile starts to hold more meaning. A sheet of handmade paper possesses a certain aesthetic, a special liveliness, and its maker's presence. And compared to disposable industrial papers, Porridge Papers' product becomes something special and different -- great paper, made and printed the old-fashioned way.
Keep reading more about Porridge Papers:
Martha Stewart loves them!
A must-watch video about Porridge Papers by Locally Crafted.
Beer paper + local artists = Hoptober Pressed.
More at porridgepapers.com