The word paper comes from the Latin word papyrus, a material made from the pith of the aquatic plant Cyperus papyrus. Long before paper was invented, ancient Egyptians used papyrus sheets, made by pressing layers of plant fibers together, as a surface for writing.
Brief History of Paper
The papermaking process dates back to 25-220 AD. The Chinese inventor Cai Lun developed the modern papermaking process, which later spread to the Islamic world during the 8th century. Within 300 years, the process was brought to Europe.
In Spain, this papermaking process was improved using water-wheel paper mills. Later enhancements during the 19th-century revolutionized the paper industry on a global scale. During this period, humans discovered that paper could be made by separating cellulose fibers from wood (either mechanically or chemically).
Today, almost all papers are created by big machines. Some of them can produce 2000-meter-long, 10-meter-wide reels per minute and up to 600,000 tons per year.
Did You Know?In 2024, more than 423 million metric tons of paper and paperboard were produced worldwide. Almost 33% of that production was attributable to graphic paper, while over 50% was attributable to packaging paper. The United States, China, and Japan account for more than half of the global paper production.
In this overview article, we have listed all the different types of paper used in packaging, printing, cleaning, decorating, and various construction and industrial processes.
Table of Contents
17. Laid Paper
Antique laid paper | Image credit: Wikimedia
Before the mid-18th century, papers were made by hand using a frame with a wire mesh. The crude wire mesh formed a pattern (vertical and horizontal lines) in the paper.
The traditional laid pattern contains a series of wide-spaced lines (called chain lines) parallel to each other and narrow-spaced lines (called laid lines) at 90 degrees to the chain lines.
This was the predominant type of paper produced between the 12th and the 18th century. They are still used by artists as a support for charcoal drawings.
16. Wove Paper
Wove papers are made by weaving brass (or other) wires together in a way that no specific pattern is visible. It has a uniform surface, not watermarked or ribbed. This papermaking technique was invented by James Whatman. It spread quickly to other paper mills in England, France, and America.
High-quality woven paper is called Whatman paper (named after its inventor). It is grainy, rigid, and strong, with no laid lines.
15. Xuan Paper
Xuan paper originated in ancient China. Most of the ancient Chinese paintings and books by famous authors that have survived until today are preserved on Xuan paper.
Its fine texture and softness make it suitable for conveying the expression of painting as well as Chinese calligraphy. The paper has a smooth surface and great tensile strength. It also features a higher resistance to creasing and corrosion.
14. Banana Paper
Banana paper is an eco-friendly option. When banana trees are harvested for their fruit, they leave behind a lot of waste in the form of tree trunks and leaves. By recycling these fibers into paper, we can help reduce pollution in forests and rivers.
There are two main types of banana paper:
- Paper made from the bark of the banana plant, often used for art.
- Paper created from banana fibers sourced from unused fruits and stems, made either by hand or with machines.
These papers come in various sizes and colors, all made from natural banana plant fibers. They’re acid-free and weigh 40 grams per square meter.
Banana fibers can also be easily blended with cotton or other synthetic fibers to make fabrics and textiles.
The global banana paper market is projected to reach over $759 million by 2031, with a growth rate of 4.4% annually. This growth is driven by rising environmental awareness and the implementation of supportive policies that favor sustainable paper alternatives.
13. Tracing Paper
Tracing paper is primarily designed for architects and engineers to make drawings. Its opacity is so low that when it is placed on an image, the image is easily visible through the paper. This makes it easier to locate edges in the image and trace the whole picture onto the tracing paper.
The paper is made of cellulose and cotton fiber. It often consists of other filler materials to improve opacity and print quality. Although pure cellulose fiber is translucent, it looks (opaque) white because of the air trapped between the fibers.
To make it look translucent, fibers are beaten and refined until most of the air is removed. These papers are quite dense and can contain up to 10 percent moisture at 50 percent humidity.
12. Bank Paper
Bank paper is a strong, thin writing paper having a weight of less than 50 grams per square meter. The term is often used for securities issued by banks. Bills, drafts, commercial papers, and acceptances payable by banks are all bank papers.
Do you think the average person has ANY clue the FED is covering over 100 Billion in bank paper losses.
I’d say nope.
Is capitalism dead?? pic.twitter.com/ibCpJmZjYJ
— Cody (@OddStockTrader) September 2, 2023
11. Bond Paper
Colored bond papers
Bond paper is made from fiber pulp, which creates a strong and slightly rough sheet of paper. It is a high-quality writing paper and is usually heavier than 50 grams per square meter (gsm). The most common bond papers weigh 90 g/m2, 75 g/m2, and 60 g/m2.
It was initially designed for documents like government bonds, but now, it is used for electronic printers, stationery, and graphic work.
According to the Verified Market Report, the bond and carbonless paper rolls market will reach $2.6 billion by the end of 2030, up from $2.3 billion in 2023.
10. Rolling paper
Different brands of rolling papers
Rolling paper is a thin specialized paper used to roll cigar*tt*s from loose t*bacc* or other plants to be smok*d. It is made from lightweight rag fibers (nonwood plant fibers) such as esparto, sisal, flax, and hemp.
The paper comes in rectangular sheets and rolls of varying sizes, each with a narrow strip of glue along one long edge. Some papers are colored, transparent, or flavored. They also differ in porosity to allow airflow during burning, or they may include additives that regulate the burning rate of the cigar*tt* and the stability of the ash it produces.
9. Tissue Paper
Tissue paper is a lightweight paper made from recycled paper pulp. Its key properties are thickness, base weight, absorbency, stretch, comfort, and appearance.
It is produced by using the paper pulp of softwood and hardwood trees, water, and chemicals. This type of paper is primarily used for sanitation and hygiene purposes as it is more suitable and convenient to use for cleaning wet and dry surfaces.
In North America, people consume nearly three times as much tissue as in Europe.
In the United States, the tissue and hygiene paper market generates $48.82 billion in revenue. It is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.34% from 2024 to 2028. In terms of volume, this market is expected to surpass 10.3 billion kilograms by 2028.
8. Litmus Paper
Litmus paper is created from various dyes extracted from lichens. These dyes produce different colors depending on the pH of the solution they’re dipped into. The paper is designed to absorb well, making it easier to use for testing pH levels.
The alkalinity or acidity of a solution is determined by the concentration of hydrogen ions, expressed as a pH value. Although the litmus paper provides a quick result, it cannot determine the level of alkalinity or acidity of a solution.
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7. Cotton Paper
As the name suggests, they are made of cotton fiber from used cloth (rags) as the primary source. Compared to wood pulp papers, cotton papers have more strength and durability. They are relatively better at absorbing toner or ink and have high concentrations of acids.
High-quality cotton papers can last centuries without significant discoloration or fading. This is why they are commonly used for crucial documents and archival copies of theses. Generally, legal document papers contain 25 percent cotton.
Cotton paper is also commonly used as a substrate for printed circuit boards when infused with phenolic resin.
6. Wax Paper
Throughout the 19th century, wax paper was produced by impregnating or coating it with purified beeswax (natural wax produced by honey bees).
In the 1870s, German-born American chemist Herman Frasch developed efficient ways of purifying paraffin wax and coating paper with it. Within a decade, his method replaced beeswax in the wax papermaking process.
This was all my mother ever used. I remember trying to cover the leftovers with wax paper. It was impossible. Do you remember? pic.twitter.com/TVeJ915B1b
— Jerseygirl #FBR (@gggirl924) January 17, 2024
Frasch’s method is still used to make moisture-proof papers. However, it has several environmental issues because wax paper made from paraffin cannot be recycled.
Despite its negative effect on the environment, the demand for waxed paper has been increasing steadily (at 4.5% annually). By 2034, the waxed paper market will exceed $2.9 billion.
5. Parchment Paper
Cookies on baking parchment paper
Parchment is a non-stick paper created by immersing sheets of paper pulp in either sulfuric acid or zinc chloride. This process gelatinizes the paper, yielding a sulfurized, crosslinked material with excellent heat resistance, stability, and low surface energy.
It’s ideal for enduring high temperatures during roasting or baking. However, because parchment paper is made with a strong acid, it’s not suitable for preserving archival documents.
4. Wallpaper
Wallpaper has been adorning interior walls in homes and public buildings since the 17th century. Initially, it showcased scenic designs and was primarily produced in France and England. By the early 20th century, patterned wallpaper had gained widespread popularity.
Modern wallpapers are typically sold in rolls and offer a variety of options. They can be plain-colored paper, textured with repeating patterns, or feature large non-repeating designs.
These wallpapers are manufactured using various printing methods, including digital, screen, rotary, gravure, and surface printing.
The global wallpaper market is expected to reach $2.69 billion by 2029, with an annual growth rate of 3.59%. Europe remains the largest market, benefiting from its rich history, architectural heritage, and design culture. However, the Asia Pacific region is currently experiencing the fastest market growth.
3. Sandpaper
Sandpapers with different grit sizes
Sandpaper is made of multiple layers of paper or cloth with an abrasive compound glued to one face. It is produced in various grit sizes, which are specified as numbers inversely proportional to particle size.
A small number, like 30 or 50, indicates a rough grit, whereas a large number, like 1200, indicates a fine grit.
The most common abrasive compounds used in sandpaper are
- aluminum oxide (has low cost and a broad range of grits),
- silicon carbide (common in wet applications),
- emery (used to polish metals), and
- garnet (typically used in woodworking).
2. Inkjet Paper
Inkjet papers are created explicitly for inkjet printers. They are generally classified by their brightness, opacity, weight, and smoothness. Three common types of inkjet papers are:
- Glossy paper has a shiny surface
- Luster papers are less shiny than glossy ones
- Metallic paper is made of polyethylene terephthalate and is used as a mirror-like decorative surface on some book covers.
Inkjet papers are different from standard office papers, which are typically intended for use with copy machines and typewriters and are not designed to withstand moisture.
High-quality inkjet paper is designed so that moisture can pass through its fibers. It has the right level of absorbency to quickly take in ink and keep it from spreading sideways, which helps produce sharp and clear prints.
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6×4 Lightroom print from a 5×4 HP5 negative, this Koala inkjet paper seems good value. #BelieveInFilm #shootfilmbenice #filmphotography pic.twitter.com/keC4Ujbuoz
— Stig (@Stig_Ofthedump) October 23, 2023
One of the largest paper manufacturing companies, Canon Solutions America, produces over 479 billion sheets of inkjet paper annually.
1. Kraft Paper
Unbleached kraft paper
Kraft paper (or paperboard) is created by the sulfate pulping process, which involves treating wood chips with a hot mixture of water, sodium sulfide, and sodium hydroxide.
Unbleached (natural) kraft paper has a light brown color, while bleached (artificial) kraft paper is white. The former is the strongest standard packaging paper and is commonly used in applications requiring high strength, such as in the inner plies of multiwall sacks or industrial bags.
Artificial craft paper, on the other hand, is the strongest white paper and is used where both strength and appearance are necessary. It is mostly used to make envelopes, labels, and sugar bags.
This type of paper can also be laminated or coated to improve its strength and resistance to moisture. For example, polyamine or polyamide resin can be added to kraft fibers and then heated to create wet-strength kraft paper, which performs well in humid or wet environments.
The global kraft paper market is projected to exceed $23.8 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.1 %.
The rising demand for sustainable packaging solutions and the versatility of kraft paper across industries such as e-commerce and consumer goods are key factors driving this growth.
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