Use caution when handling your screen. Remember, it’s made of wire and can cause a cut. If you make your own screen, you might even wish to wear protective work gloves until its edges are finished. If you cut yourself during construction, stop the project immediately and apply an antiseptic and a bandage. Be sure that the bleeding has stopped before continuing. If the cut is deep, seek medical attention.

Make your paper in a well ventilated area. While most smells are harmless, it’s always possible to come in contact with harmful chemicals if you’re not certain of your paper’s origin. Even benign but strong  smells, such as those released during making grass paper, may make some people sick. Wearing a mask can also help with this.  The best bet is to only use paper that you know has not been chemically treated. Making paper outdoors is also a good option, as it helps minimize the mess.

Use caution when handling your water. If you spill water, be sure to clean it up immediately. It will obviously cause surfaces to become slick, so walk carefully if you must walk in the water. Be sure to have some towels handy prior to beginning, and don’t work near anything electrical to avoid water damage and electric shocks.

Only use mediums that you are comfortable with. If an herb or plant or other item is a known allergen to you, do not use it. Avoid any materials that may cause irritation to your skin. You may also wish to wear gloves and eye goggles while making paper in general.

They recently featured a piece on Adina Levin, the co-founder of Collab. Collab is short for collaborators, and is a Manhattan based company that plans on re-localizing the economy through helping designers, writers, artists, musicians and other creative people collaborate together to form a more sustainable world.

By enabling these innovative minds with the tools and space that they need to collaborate together, Collab hopes to get them inspired and working together, which will hopefully yield environmentally-friendly products and processes to help create localized economy.

One sustainable practice that Levin advocates–and is knowledgeable in–is making homemade paper. Levin uses a very similar process to the one posted here at Paper Making. She also promotes a messy, hands-on approach, often touching the paper pulp and getting very involved in the process. Her video and instructions are perfect for anyone who isn’t afraid to get messy and produce some truly amazing results.

Would using handmade paper really support a more local economy and a sustainable world in general? In a word, probably. By using 50% less energy and 75% less water–as well as creating up to 90% less wastewater and 70% less air pollution–than paper made from unused fibers, it definitely has less of an environmental impact.

The Papermaker’s Companion: The Ultimate Guide to Making and Using Handmade Paper by Helen Hiebert is considered one of the best paper-making books available. Written by the same author who wrote Papermaking with Garden Plants and Common Weeds, this book discusses various methods, materials, and techniques for the beginner as well as the advanced paper-maker. If you’re set on purchasing one book about the art of making paper, this book should be it.

(Hiebert’s other book, mentioned above, is worth a read as well–particularly if you’d like to explore ways to make paper out of things in your own backyard.)

Arnold Grummer’s Complete Guide to Easy Papermaking is another good guide for the beginner, and is focused mainly on household paper waste that can be re-used in creating new paper products. This book is great for the environmentalist paper-maker.

The Art & Craft of Homemade Paper by Vance Studley provides excellent illustrations and step-by-step instructions on basic paper-making using vegetable fibers. While many of his tips can be found online, it’s still a handy book to have around.

If you’ve mastered basic paper-making and you’re ready to try out new, exciting techniques, you may want to check out The Papermaking Techniques Book: Over 50 Techniques for Making and Embellishing Handmade Paper, by John Plowman. From watermarking to embossing, from adding scents to textures to other creative elements, Plowman will guide you through creating some truly unique projects.