An MFAI story of collaboration with Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design!

Over the summer of 2022, MFAI Research Agronomist Esther Durairaj collaborated with students from Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design led by Matt Presutti to create unique, artisan paper from hemp.

The fiber hemp was planted in early June, tended through the summer at the MFAI Research Farm and was ready for the students to harvest in early September. At harvest, the students separated the bast fiber from the stalks by hand. It was them moved to MIAD where it underwent the processing for making paper. As a first step, the bast fiber was cooked in a caustic solution to further separate the non cellulose materials from the fiber. The pure fiber was then loaded into a hollander style paper beater where the fiber gets cut, macerated, and hydrated into a usable pulp. The pulp was then formed into sheets using a mold and deckle to scoop and drain the pulp from a paper vat. The sheets were then pressed under thousands of pounds of pressure to remove the excess water and expedite the dry time. After several days of drying under weight, the newly formed sheets are ready to be used.