About YAK Papers
YAK Handmade Paper is handcrafted in my papermaking workshop located in Alborz, IRAN. I use a variety of long fibers including linen, cotton, hemp, banana and rice fibers to produce art papers. No synthetic fiber or recycled paper is used. The fiber is mixed with pure water of almost neutral PH and beaten to a pulp in my beater. I form the sheets one by one using traditional mould and deckle and each sheet has its own 4 natural deckle edges on all sides. Each newly formed sheet is couched onto a felt, and the post of wet paper is pressed in a hydraulic press and restraint dried. I guarantee the longevity and strength of my handmade papers from view point of both the material and techniques used.
All my paper is ideal for:
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drawing
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painting (watercolor, acrylic, pastel, pen, ink, etc.)
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calligraphy (specially sized and burnished with polished agate stone-آهار مهره خورده)
Steps my handmade papers are processed
My hand made papers are produced through multiple steps and procedures which are as follows:
- Selection of fibers appropriate to the final application.
- Chopping fibers to desired size.
- Cooking to remove lignins and other impurities, when needed.
- Bleaching, when needed.
- Washing and buffering.
- Beating in beaters such as Hollanders or devices like without any chemicals.
- More washing through beating process if needed.
- Hydrating the pulp and mixing with the required chemicals and additives.
- Adding the pulp to the vat together with the required chemicals such as:
- dry strength additives
- wet strength additives
- retention aids
- drainage aids
- adhesives
- buffering agents
- binding agents
- dye agents
- sizing agents
- defoaming and antifoaming agents
- dispersing agents
- fixing agents and etc.
- Pulling outs sheets of papers one by one from vat using a mould and deckle.
- Couching the sheets on one and others with felts in between.
- Pressing the couched post with felts to remove water to form the sheets.
- Removing the felts.
- Pressing the stack again to remove more water.
- Making small stacks of sheets and hang to loft dry.
- Humidification the dried papers in the loft.
- Separating the dried papers.
- Pressing the stack of dried papers to make them smooth and even.
- Sizing the papers accordingly to their final desired application.
- Pressing the stack of sized papers to remove the excess of size.
- Making small stacks of sheets and hang to dry.
- Humidification the dried papers in the loft.
- Separating the dried papers.
- Roll pressing the stack of dried papers to acquire the needed finish or surface.
- QC inspection sheet by sheet.
- Embossed stamping on the right bottom corner to show my brand.
- Storing for aging before packaging.Numbering and packaging.
