handmade paper swatch swap winter 2025-2026
for artisans using virgin or rag pulp
what it is
This is a general interest swatch swap in which papermakers the world over submit samples of some of their favorite papers, along with the recipes they used to make them. They pull up to 7 sheets of each paper and cut them into 2″ x 3″ (5.08 cm x 7.62 cm) swatches, sending up to 3 different samples and their recipes. The samples are collated into sets, and White Leaf Paper designs a book for mounting them which includes the recipes. Participants each receive one set of swatches and a .pdf of the book.
Any fiber or pulp that has not been p;reviously used to make paper. The exception is if you are recycling your own handmade paper which was the first use for that pulp.
Any paper pulp made from textiles of any fiber.
If the maximum registration is reached, for each set of paper, you would have to make 5 sheets of letter sized paper and cut each sheet into 16 swatches, just a bit smaller than the stated size. If the registration turns out to be smaller, you would make less. You can submit up to 3 sets.
Any type of sizing, filler, buffers, pigments, etc. that you normally use are fine.
yes, you'll find a nice display here
https://paperswatchswap.wordpress.com/swatch-books-of-yore/
https://paperswatchswap.wordpress.com/swatch-books-of-yore/
Not at all. Go ahead and pull some out of your stash, if it meets the requirements.
Registration and Payment
Register now. More information will be sent to you when
registration has closed
How it works:
Registration closes November 20, 2025 Submissions are due January 20, 2026 Packets will be mailed by February 20, 2026
- Sign up by clicking the button above, and you'll be sent to the next link to pay the fee of $50. Participation is capped at 80, which is 5 sheets of letter size paper per each set of swatches. Registration will close early if 80 people register before the deadline.
- You will be notified on November 21 how many swatches of each paper you should send, based on the number of participants.
- You submit your swatches, labeled with your name, to arrive in Massachusetts USA by January 20. The address will be supplied with confirmation of your registration.
- Once you have made the paper, you will fill out another form, provided after registration, to submit information to be included in the book for mounting the swatches. This form must also be submitted by January 20.
Rules:
- The focus of this project is paper made from virgin fibers (purchased or foraged) or beaten rags. Either may be of any fiber. Swatches made entirely or partially from recycled paper will not be included. You can add inclusions, but they must be firmly mixed into the pulp, not glued on top.
- Please submit only paper swatches that you made yourself or as a team. Submissions of, say, decorated or altered handmade paper made by others will not be included.
- Swatches measure 2 x 3 inches (5 cm x 7.5 cm). If they are directional, they should be landscape orientation. Smaller is OK but larger is not OK.
- Swatches cannot be thicker than 1/16 inch (1.5 mm).
- You may submit up to 3 sets of swatches, but submitting one or two sets is totally OK. All swatches in a set should have a single description, and consist of the same fiber or mix of fibers.
- The fee includes return shipping within the United States. For all others, you will be billed shipping in excess of the domestic rate.
- Write, in block print, your full name on the back of each swatch. Do not write your name in cursive, young people today are not taught cursive. It will not be done for you, and swatches that are not labeled or illegibly labeled will not be included or returned. Please give your name written in the English alphabet, even if that is not your native alphabet.
- You may color or otherwise mark your paper to your liking, but please do not use religious or political symbols or text.
- To Comply With the Law: Do not send paper with seeds or soil included. Do not send paper whose pulp has not been boiled in alkaline solution. Do not send paper with insects, insect cocoons or the like. Basically, do not send paper that could cause plant diseases or infestations when distributed.
- Do not send paper with glitter or perfume on or in the paper, or items glued to the surface.
- Please note: the registration fee is not refundable, except if the swap is canceled entirely. If you submit paper that does not meet the rules, or if it is late, your fee will not be refunded, nor will your swatches be included or returned.
- Everyone will be held to the deadlines. Really.
Communications:
Once registration is closed, you will be automatically added to an email group on www.groups.io, and sent sign-in information. You can read the posts without signing up, but you cannot post to the group without being signed in. In this way, people can get questions answered and see questions and answers from other participants.
Registration and Payment
Register now. More information will be sent to you when
registration has closed