Recycled paper is made mainly from pre-consumer waste, which is trimmed during the paper manufacturing process. The greenest choice is post-consumer recycled. The fibers in recycled pulp are very short and heavily processed, so manufacturers often use a combination of recycled and new pulp to make the paper stronger. Hemp is a good alternative fiber, being a less environmentally demanding crop than cotton or timber.
1. Canson 100% Recycled Classic Drawing Pad
Photo courtesy Blick Art Materials
Made from 100% recycled materials incorporating 10% post-consumer waste, the manufacturer claims it can be used with dry media and a light wash (though I find most non-watercolor paper doesn’t like water much).
2. Aquabee Tree-Free Hemp Paper
Photo courtesy Blick Art Materials
Aquabee Tree-Free is made from 25% hemp and 75% recycled wood pulp. Hemp is acid free and uses less bleach than wood pulp. The Bee hemp paper is available in a laid finish in 114 GSM and 200 GSM weights.
3. Strathmore 400 Series Premium Recycled
Photo courtesy Blick Art Materials
With only 40% pre-consumer and 10% post-consumer waste Strathmore are maybe pushing the envelope with the recycled claim, but if you want a greener paper that still offers a good white surface, these pads might be a suitable choice.
4. Bienfang Bristol Paper Pads
Photo Courtesy Blick Art Materials
Bienfang Bristol paper pads are a great size for drawing at 9x12 in, 11x14, and 14x17 with 20 sheets per pad. vailable in smooth for pen or vellum (kid) surface for pencil. The paper is 148 lb (around 300 gsm), They are only 50% recycled - and I don't know how much of that is post-consumer if any - but still, it's a step up from 100% new.
5. Strathmore Windpower
Photo courtesy Strathmore / Pacon Corp.
Strathmore's Windpower paper is only 30% post-consumer recycled pulp, but the mill that produced it uses windpower - a definite plus. I hope to get some samples of this paper to test - it sounds like a good all-round heavy sketch paper, so I'm keen to try it out.
