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The Clairefontaine mill in the Vosges region of France makes notebooks and stationery.
The Schut mill in the Veluwe region of the Netherlands makes fine art paper and stationery.
Clairefontaine – Etival-Clairefontaine, France
In 1858, Jean-Baptiste Bichelberger chose the small town of Etival-Clairefontaine in the Vosges mountains to set up his paper mill. It is the heart of a region with a long-standing paper-making tradition. Clairefontaine was established on the site of a paper mill built in 1512.
The Clairefontaine mill has been making paper since 1858 and stationery products since 1890. The company is best known for making the first school notebooks in France.
Clairefontaine is currently the only European manufacturer making its own paper for its own products. This guarantees not only consistent quality, but also controls the environmental impact of the manufacturing process.
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Vosages Paper Mill
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Clairefontaine reduces its water consumption through advanced recycling of the water used in the production process. The water is returned to the River Meurthe cleaner than when it arrived at the Vosges mill.
The water is so clean when it leaves the facility local people can fish, boat and swim downstream within sight of the mill.
Papierfabriek Schut – Heelsum, Netherlands
The paper used in Clairefontaine’s fine art paper is made by a mill almost 400 years old.
After the fall of Antwerp (1585) the production of paper, other than originating from France, was started in (mainly) the Veluwe area of the Netherlands. 170 small paper mills were founded in this region. The rapid currents like those in the brook by Heelsum village were used to power the mills.
In 1618 ‘De Veentjes’ paper mill was founded. It was during a time of great innovation for the world of art. In the Netherlands this era is known as the “Golden Century” in which the classical Dutch painters earned the reputation as “masters” of fine art.
In 1710 the Schut family bought the mill and continued to make quality papers. On May 6, 1895 the mill, house included, burned down. In the meantime, the steam era had arrived and a brand new, steam-powered mill was built. Instead of powered by water, paper grades of top quality would now be produced on these new machines.
Almost three centuries after being acquired by the Schut family, the paper mill was acquired by Papeteries de Clairefontaine on July 1, 1998.
Though the machinery is modern the mill still radiates a traditional atmosphere, applying the same degree of skill and care in paper-making as it did in historic times.
The quality of its paper has enabled the mill to prosper over the centuries. Once, one of many small paper mills in the Veluwe region, Papierfabriek Schut is the only specialty grade producer that remains.
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