There would be no pleasant banknotes, charming cartons, stunning photographs, fancy catalogs, and works of arts in a paperless world. Life would be far less attractive. But to make the paper we need, we have to cut down trees. Or do we?

What is stone paper?

So, is it possible to make paper without trees? Trees are no longer necessary to create paper. Technological advancements and an improved understanding of the materials around us have made it possible to make paper with various substances. But is there a sustainable alternative for paper to an everyday product? The answer is ”yes”! One of the best solutions for avoiding cutting trees is to use stone paper.

Stone paper (also known as rock paper, paper from waste marble, mineral paper, or rich mineral pape) is a newly developing type of paper manufactured using two primary materials: calcium carbonate 80% (limestone), and bio-polyethene resin 20% (HDPE). In this case, the HDPE is used as a binder. Thereby, limestone from existing limestone quarries is being used as the raw material and processed into a fine powder.

Stone paper differences compared to normal paper

The composition of stone paper is remarkable compared to traditional fibrous paper, as it does not require the felling of trees, uses little water, and uses none of the other additional and potentially harmful chemicals used in processing traditional paper. It has a number of practical differences compared to normal paper, including resistance to water, fire, and tearing, among others. So stone paper is a very environmentally friendly paper. The technology for making stone paper is also claimed not to pollute air and water; no chlorine or acid compounds used, and the resulting stone paper is really non-toxic and even food safe. It is also believed that the stone paper production process improves air, soil, water quality, and reduces energy consumption.

Stone paper begins to dissolve under constant sunlight after a few months. After about a year, it will be disbanded in dust completely – similar to eggshells. Stone paper can also be burnt without creating toxic gases. For this reason, it is particularly suitable for typical consumer products

Conclusion

To summarise, let’s go over just some of the benefits the stone paper has:

  • No trees cut down to produce stone paper (made using only recycled materials, no deforestation)
  • Resistant to tearing
  • Water-resistant
  • No water and air pollution (made with solar power, produced without using water)
  • Produced without any added chemicals

 

All in all, stone paper is a revolutionary limestone material, a naturally occurring resource. It is environmentally friendly to manufacture, but also beneficial to producers and consumers. But is stone paper the only solution for a sustainable environment? Definitely not.

”Vice” will make a story out of stone paper in the future anyway, so be ahead of others. Start spreading the word NOW!