washable kraft paper

"Washed kraft paper", does it confuse you at first glance? Is it leather? Or paper? Is it durable? Will it break when it touches water? Is it heavy enough?

In fact, "washed kraft paper" is a new type of low-carbon and environmentally friendly material. It is made of natural fiber pulp. It not only has the stiffness of kraft paper, but also has the properties of waterproof and washable. Therefore, some people also call it "high wet strength imitation leather paper", "washable kraft paper" or "washable kraft paper".

As early as the 20th century, the well-known jeans brand Levi’s was the first to use this kind of imitation leather label to replace the original leather label on the waistband. The main reason is that after the denim clothing is finished, it needs to be stonewashed and washed. During this process, the clothes will be heated and stirred together with the labels, and they will bear very high friction. After continuous rubbing and turning, Levi's The company found that the washed kraft paper can still have sufficient strength and toughness when it is saturated with water. In addition, they also discovered that this kind of paper material can show natural wrinkles similar to leather after washing. This unexpected discovery made them feel like a treasure, and this is also the unique charm of washed kraft paper that has been widely used so far.

Washed kraft paper feels comfortable to the touch, but looks like leather. Its washable, printable, tough and wear-resistant properties make it gradually used in shoe materials, high-end leather goods, stationery, clothing signs, hang tags, and even art products. on the packaging. At present, washed kraft paper has been widely used in the United States, Germany, South Korea and Japan.

Behind the fashion, you can have different choices

In the past when the awareness of environmental protection was relatively weak, the unique characteristics of traditional leather, such as strong leather smell, natural texture and natural luster on the surface, soft touch, elasticity, high plasticity, etc., have always had a group of supporters. However, the production process of traditional leather is very complicated. From washing off the residual hair on animal skin, antisepsis, degreasing to dyeing, these processes need to consume a lot of water resources and use a lot of chemical substances such as ammonia nitrogen, sulfide, chromium salt, etc. In the process of processing, chemicals remove the original "animal characteristics" of the animal skin time and time again, so that the leather with flesh and blood becomes soft and clean. However, the leather made is extremely difficult to decompose in the land. Archaeologists even found a real leather shoe 5,500 years ago in a cave in Armenia.

Not only is animal leather not environmentally friendly during the production process, but the astonishing amount of sewage discharged by the leather industry is second only to the food manufacturing industry in the light industry. The composition of the sewage is also quite complex, including various inorganic substances and suspended substances. It will cause great harm to the land and even the creatures on the earth.

Compared with traditional leather, the main raw material of washed kraft paper is cotton pulp, hemp pulp or coniferous wood pulp, which can be naturally decomposed and recycled. After "decommissioning", it only takes 3 months to decompose if it is buried in the soil. In the process of making washed kraft paper, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (Editor's Note: Carboxymethyl Cellulose, a commonly used food additive, non-toxic, easily soluble in water, will become viscous liquid after dissolving), Wet strength agent, latex, after the base paper is dried, it becomes the original washed kraft paper after surface gluing, high temperature drying and other procedures. In the test of water resistance, it can be found that after the paper is soaked, it can still maintain its original state and not disperse after repeated rubbing with hands.

Washed kraft paper has the toughness of leather, the touch of paper and the washability of cloth, and with time and usage, it will naturally produce different personalities and traces, giving it a special charm. Its uniqueness has won the favor of more and more hand-made designers. After adding more creative elements, the designers let the washed kraft paper break through the traditional concept, not just as simple as "paper".

Every year, more than 1 billion animals die for human appetite, and half of them are even wasted instead of being eaten. And more than 50 million animals died as a result of fashion.

── Green designer Stella. Stella McCartney

Be kind to the earth The softness of their skin does not belong to humans

With the public's emphasis on natural ecology and environmental protection, people have changed a lot from lifestyle, eating habits to daily wear. People will eat less meat in order to protect the survival rights of animals and prevent the deterioration of the ecological environment, and they will also try not to use leather products for their own vanity.

British designer Stella. Stella McCartney has always been known for her clear environmental stance. She insists on not making clothing from animal fur and is committed to changing the public's stereotypes about fashion. McCartney herself is a vegetarian. She believes that it is meaningless for animals to die because of fashion. Humans should respect all things and coexist peacefully with animals. When she founded her own brand in 2001, she advocated refusing to use animal fur and embracing sustainable fashion, becoming a clear stream in the fashion industry.

In recent years, more and more fashion designers have been looking for alternatives to animal leather to make imitation leather products. They call it "vegan leather" (Vegan Leather), such as leather made of tree bark, vegetables and fruits. Among these environmentally friendly materials, washed kraft paper stands out because it has the appearance and feel of leather, is lighter than genuine leather, and is easy to clean. It is ideal for both environmentally conscious buyers and creators. material.