Displaying items by tag: James Cropper

With 170 years of British master papermaking experience, James Cropper presents its most traditional and timeless papers at this year’s Paperworld – the leading international trade fair for stationery and office supplies.

The bespoke paper manufacturer will introduce a vibrant array of new shades in its classic Vanguard range at the event, which takes place in Frankfurt from 31 January to 2 February 2016. The kaleidoscopic assortment of 32 dazzling colours has been enhanced, with the addition of a medley of red and blue tones – Blueberry, Bordeaux, Cherry and Purple – following a trend for the hues.

In addition, two new papers being showcased – Elation and Porcelain – are specifically designed to be versatile for a range of printing outcomes. Porcelain is a pure white product that provides the sharpest and smoothest of blank canvases for designers, while Elation – a tactile, high-grade and versatile felt-marked paper – exudes elegance.

Andy Smith, export sales director at James Cropper, said: “We’re incredibly proud of our originality and design at James Cropper, but also value the beauty of our tradition and heritage – Vanguard, Elation and Porcelain are fantastic examples of where tradition and innovation collide.

“Porcelain is a stunningly flawless and fresh paper, which is designed with effortless modern printing in mind, whilst Elation’s tactile qualities project a high-end corporate impression. Our Vanguard range has always offered a wide assortment of colours, from vivid reds to soothing pastels, and the latest additions to the collection reflect a demand for even deeper, bolder shades. We aim to offer a colour, texture and sensation for every occasion.”

James Cropper will also present two existing paper collections that bring with them an undeniable sense of quality and class to business stationery. Ambassador, a FSC® pure fibre collection of watermarked papers, offers a tremendous choice of finishes from traditional Wove and Laid options to geometric Squares and a unique undulating Waves effect. Meanwhile, the illustrious British paper brand Croxley Heritage – available in classic Wove, Laid and Linen finishes – balances papermaking heritage with contemporary eco-friendly business requirements, being certified FSC® 100% Recycled. 

The multi-award-winning paper manufacturer, which celebrated its landmark 170 year anniversary this year, prides itself on its premium and uncoated papermaking, which is unrivalled in quality, versatility, sustainability and service.

ABOUT JAMES CROPPER & TECHNICAL FIBRE PRODUCTS (TFP):

James Cropper is a prestige paper innovator based in the English Lake District, supplying distinct, custom-made paper products to many of the world’s leading luxury brands, art galleries and designers. Celebrating 170 years of high quality paper production in 2015, the business has been carefully stewarded and nurtured by six generations of the Cropper family and is renowned globally for individual expertise in colour, dedicated responses to the most challenging custom projects and award-winning commitment to the highest standards of sustainability.

A network of global sales and production facilities from Europe to the Far East provides local customer service to international clients, while its historic base in the village of Burneside retains nearly two centuries worth of papermaking expertise.

As well as paper products, James Cropper PLC also incorporates Technical Fibre Products (TFP), manufacturers of non-woven materials from carbon, glass and polymer fibres, which play a key part in production of composites in the automotive, energy and aerospace sectors. For further information visit: www.jamescropper.com  and www.tfpglobal.com

A Range Rover has traversed a specially constructed bridge made from James Cropper PLC paper in a jaw-dropping celebration of the luxury SUV’s 45th birthday.

The unique freestanding bridge was commissioned in collaboration with British artist Steve Messam and specialist British paper manufacturer James Cropper PLC, to showcase Land Rover’s flagship model, at the 13^th China International Automobile Exhibition held in Guangzhou from 20 to 29 November 2015.

The five-metre bridge, constructed solely from paper and completely free from glue or bolts, was built using Natural Crystal 330gsm high-quality white paper. The paper was produced by bespoke paper manufacturer James Cropper PLC, which also celebrates its own landmark 170-year anniversary this year.

The hand-built bridge took three days to construct, using 54,390 sheets of paper in order to support the 2,374 kilogram vehicle. The feat of engineering and artistry was erected in China, the birthplace of paper, in the ancient water city of Suzhou – famous for its bridges and nicknamed the ‘Venice of the East’.

Artist and paper bridge designer, Steve Messam, said: “Paper structures capable of supporting people have been built before but nothing on this scale has ever been attempted. It’s pushing engineering boundaries, just like the Range Rover, and the ease and composure with which the vehicle negotiated the arch was genuinely breathtaking.”

The project follows the success of Steve Messam and James Cropper PLC’s collaboration on a pedestrian bridge installation over a stream in the heart of Britain’s stunning Lake District countryside – home to James Cropper PLC – in May this year.

Chris Brown, commercial director at James Cropper, added: “It’s an honour to collaborate with fellow British manufacturers and designers to be a part of this world-first, which puts our paper’s durability to the ultimate test. The combined expertise of Land Rover, Steve Messam and James Cropper represents the highest standard of British engineering, manufacturing and design.”

The James Cropper Group has well-established links with the automotive and engineering sector via its Technical Fibre Products (TFP) division, which  manufactures non-woven materials from carbon, glass and polymer fibres, used in the production of lightweight composites for car manufacturing.

The challenging drive was negotiated by Land Rover Experience chief instructor, Chris Zhou, using a variety of all-terrain technologies to preserve the delicate fabric of the unique structure.

ABOUT JAMES CROPPER & TECHNICAL FIBRE PRODUCTS (TFP):

James Cropper are prestige paper innovators based in the English Lake District, supplying distinct, custom-made paper products to many of the world’s leading luxury brands, art galleries and designers. Celebrating 170 years of high-quality paper production in 2015, the business has been carefully stewarded and nurtured by six generations of the Cropper family and is renowned globally for individual expertise in colour, dedicated responses to the most challenging custom projects and award-winning commitment to the highest standards of sustainability.

A network of global sales and production facilities from Europe to the Far East provides local customer service to international clients, while its historic base in the village of Burneside retains nearly two centuries worth of papermaking expertise.

As well as paper products, James Cropper PLC also incorporates Technical Fibre Products (TFP), manufacturers of non-woven materials from carbon, glass and polymer fibres, which play a key part in production of composites in the automotive, energy and aerospace sectors. For further information visit: www.jamescropper.com  and www.tfpglobal.com

Paper replaces walls in the innovative installation of landmark Style is Eternal show celebrating the work of fashion designer, Yves Saint Laurent.

Where most exhibitions are constructed of wood panels and metal nails, part of the remarkable exhibition of Yves Saint Laurent’s work and life at The Bowes Museum, County Durham has been intricately dressed with paper. As if walking into the designer’s sketch books, a room designed by Paris’ agence NC, Nathalie Crinière has taken stock from British master papermakers, James Cropper Paper and formed an immersive, paper-based appreciation of Saint Laurent’s creative process.

Yves Saint Laurent: Style is Eternal, the first exhibition in the UK to show a comprehensive display of the French designer’s work is dominated by paper, from initial sketches to specification forms and the patterns for his famous final designs. Understanding that paper is riven through the creative process, Agence NC designer Nathalie Crinière and installation company, North Exhibition Services set about to ensure the natural look of paper was dominant as a backdrop to the exhibition experience. A white cube of pristine white paper cocoons a range of Saint Laurent’s earliest creations in trademark monochrome fabrics, making good use of The Bowes Museum’s high ceilings with a dramatic drop of uninterrupted, five to six metre sheets.

Unaware as to how the paper would respond directly from rolls, or precisely how to match paper elements with other parts in glass and steel, the versatility of the stock soon became an advantage as complex cuts were made with only blades and scissors. The sense of understatement is emboldened by the texture of the 120gsm paper, which curls naturally at the foot of each hung sheet, evoking the gnarled edges of a well-worn notebook or the flick of a lavish evening dress. A slight movement in the paper as large numbers of visitors pass through the space adds an unexpected, sensuous sense of animation.

Specialists in black papers, James Cropper supplied a deep natural black paper in 120gsm to carry white text as information panels to guide viewers through the chronology of Saint Laurent’s career, instead of more standard exhibition installations that see vinyl lettering applied directly to walls or foamboard mounts. The effect is striking, yet in keeping with the exhibition’s understated style.

Doug Lamond, Founding Director of North Exhibition Services, said: “This was a first for us being asked to use paper to create the backdrop for an exhibition on this scale. It was a challenge in the sense that it was an unknown how the paper would behave straight off a roll. We needn’t have been worried as the paper worked very well as a backdrop for the show for many reasons, including its natural texture, weight and starkness of the white print on black. I would certainly recommend it as a finish whenever the aesthetic calls for it and on the scale we have just delivered, it has a great impact while being understated and subtle.”

James Cropper Paper, which supplies many of the world’s leading luxury brands with custom papers for their packaging requirements, also featured in the VIP launch invitation (Vanguard White, 620gsm and envelope in Vanguard Dark Grey), promotional print materials for the exhibition (Vanguard Silver Grey, 160gsm) and within the pages of the stunning 120 page catalogue (Vanguard Silver Grey, 120gsm and Vanguard Silver Grey, 300gsm), resplendent in a foiled and embossed cover and hand-finished binding.

Yves Saint Laurent: Style is Eternal, presented by The Bowes Museum and the Fondation Pierre Bergé - Yves Saint Laurent runs at The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, Teesdale, County Durham until Sunday 25 October 2015.

ABOUT JAMES CROPPER & TECHNICAL FIBRE PRODUCTS (TFP):

James Cropper are prestige paper innovators based in the English Lake District, supplying distinct, custom-made paper products to many of the world’s leading luxury brands, art galleries and designers. A proud sponsor of artists and exhibitions including events at Frieze Masters and NYCxDesign, James Cropper Paper is committed to supporting creativity. Celebrating 170 years of high quality paper production in 2015, the business has been carefully stewarded and nurtured by six generations of the Cropper family and is renowned globally for individual expertise in colour, dedicated responses to the most challenging custom projects and award-winning commitment to the highest standards of sustainability.

A network of global sales and production facilities from Europe to the Far East provides local customer service to international clients, while its historic base in the village of Burneside retains nearly two centuries worth of paper making expertise.

In supporting Yves Saint Laurent: Style Is Eternal, James Cropper reflects on the strong link between paper and design, with Saint Laurent himself expressing early creativity in the meticulous execution of handcrafted paper dolls. The company’s paper plays a role as a backdrop to the exhibition itself with small reels of white paper, specially cut to length, hanging in the ‘Glass Cube’ and reels of a black board printed to create a timeline along the entire length of the gallery. Uncoated papers in classic white and grey shades from the Vanguard collection feature as VIP invitations, sections within the Yves Saint Laurent book and also the exhibition guide.

As well as paper products, James Cropper PLC also incorporates Technical Fibre Products (TFP), manufacturers of non-woven materials from carbon, glass and polymer fibres, which play a key part in production of composites in the automotive, energy and aerospace sectors. For further information visit: www.jamescropper.com and www.tfpglobal.com

About the Fondation Pierre Bergé - Yves Saint Laurent

The Fondation Pierre Bergé - Yves Saint Laurent, which opened in 2004 in the former Yves Saint Laurent couture house on 5 Avenue Marceau, Paris, is founded on 40 years of creativity. Recognised as a public organisation, it has three missions:

• The rigorous museological conservation of a unique heritage comprising five thousand haute couture garments and fifteen thousand accessories, as well as thousands of sketches, collection boards, photographs, and objects;
• The organization of exhibitions, in both the refurbished spaces at 5 Avenue Marceau and museums around the world, promoting Yves Saint Laurent’s work.
• The support of cultural institutions encouraging the contemporary arts.

About The Bowes Museum

The Bowes Museum was created over 100 years ago by John and Joséphine Bowes.  Together they built up the greatest private collection of European fine and decorative arts in the North of England and constructed a magnificent French chateau in 17^th century style, to house them in. The collection contains thousands of predominantly French objects including furniture, paintings, sculpture, ceramics, textiles and many other items covering an extensive range of European styles and periods.

For much of their lives John and Joséphine Bowes lived in Paris. Josephine was formerly an actress and performed in theThéâtre des Variétés, which John Bowes subsequently purchased.

The Bowes Museum has an internationally renowned exhibition programme. Recent exhibitions have included Tim Walker: Dreamscapes; Henry Poole Founder of Savile Row; and Stephen Jones ‘From Georgiana to Boy George’.  Current exhibitions are ‘Birds of Paradise –

Plumes and Feathers in Fashion’ initiated by MoMu Fashion Museum, Antwerp, and ‘Julian Opie Collected Works’, which presents works by and inspirations for the contemporary artist.

The Bowes Museum is located in Barnard Castle, County Durham and is open daily from 10.00am – 5.00pm

www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk

About Yves Saint Laurent

Yves Saint Laurent was born on 1st August 1936 in Oran, Algeria, where he spent all his youth. In 1955, after a period at theChambre syndicale de la haute couture in Paris, he was introduced by Michel de Brunhoff, then director of ParisVogue, to Christian Dior, who immediately took him on as his assistant. When Dior died in 1957, Yves Saint Laurent became artistic director of the House of Dior. His first collection, the «Trapèze» collection, presented in January 1958, was an immense success. Called up to do his military service and hospitalised at the Val de Grâce, he was dismissed by the House of Dior in 1960.

In association with Pierre Bergé, whom he had met in 1958, Yves Saint Laurent decided to create his own couture house and his first collection was presented on 29th January 1962 at 30 bis rue Spontini in Paris. They remained there for 12 years during which Yves Saint Laurent invented the modern woman’s wardrobe.

From the end of the 1950s and throughout his career Yves Saint Laurent created costumes for theatre, ballet and cinema. He collaborated with Roland Petit, Claude Régy, Jean-Louis Barrault, Luis Buñuel, François Truffaut... and dressed Jean Marais, Zizi Jeanmaire, Arletty, Jeanne Moreau, Isabelle Adjani and Catherine Deneuve, who became a long-standing close friend.

As early as 1965 Yves Saint Laurent paid tribute to artists in his haute couture collections with the famous Mondrian dresses, then in 1966 with the pop art dresses and in 1967 with his major homage to African primitive art. Yves Saint Laurent would travel to Marrakech for a fortnight on 1st December and 1st June of each year in order to design his haute couture collections. Morocco, a country he discovered in 1966, was to have a major influence on his work and his colours, as did all his  travels: Japan, India, Russia, China and Spain all provided sources of inspiration for his collections. In 1974, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé moved the couture house to 5, avenue Marceau in Paris, where the former would assert his style.

In 1983 the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted a retrospective exhibition to the couturier “Yves Saint Laurent 25 years of design”. It was the first time that a living fashion designer had received such an accolade there. Large-scale exhibitions were subsequently held in Beijing, Moscow, Tokyo and, of course, Paris, at the Musée des Arts de la mode, in 1986.

In 1998 Yves Saint Laurent dressed 300 models who appeared on the pitch of the Stade de France for the final match of the FIFA World Cup.

On 7th January 2002 he announced at a press conference that he was ending his career. On 22nd January of the same year, at the Centre Georges Pompidou, a retrospective show went back over 40 years of creation with over 300 models including his last Spring-Summer 2002 collection.

On 10th March 2004, the Fondation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent opened to the public with an exhibition entitled Yves Saint Laurent -Dialogue avec l’Art, which then travelled to the Caixa Galicia Foundation in Spain in 2007. The Yves Saint Laurent Style exhibition was presented in 2008 at the Fine Arts Museum of Montreal, and then at San Francisco’s de Young Museum.

On 1st June 2008, Yves Saint Laurent passed away at his Paris home in his seventy second year.

In 2010, the Fondation organised a major retrospective of Yves Saint Laurent’s work at the Petit Palais in Paris, which travelled to the MAPFRE Foundation in Madrid (2011) and the Denver Art Museum (2012). In 2013, a new exhibition project, Yves Saint Laurent, a visionary, was presented at the ING Cultural Center in Brussels.

James Cropper Paper shows at Luxury Packaging to celebrate a landmark anniversary with the paper and packaging industry.

A wall of paper will greet visitors to the James Cropper Paper stand at this year’s Luxury Packaging event, taking place on Wed 16 – Thu 17 September 2015 at Olympia, London. With 170 die-cut samples available to take away in myriad colours and finishes to mark the British Master Papermaker’s 170 years in business at their Lake District mill.

As future-facing as ever, the company will also use the event as the opportunity to inspire visitors with a unique world of individual and distinct papers for packaging.   The business focus is on premium and uncoated papermaking that is unrivalled in terms of quality, versatility, sustainability and service.

The wall of coloured paper that provides a dramatic backdrop to the exhibition stand and anniversary celebrations will be made of hundreds of die cut samples, presented in a hexagonal shape that symbolises six generations of the Cropper family at the helm of the company, which was established in the Lake District in 1845. 

Chris Brown, Commercial Director of James Cropper PLC, said: “170 years of paper making in our historic home has meant overcoming the challenges of war, economic instability and increased global competition, as well as anticipating the opportunities found in new technologies. We have been ahead of those changes and had the chance to enhance sustainability, efficiency and innovation to become the successful company we are today. We are proud to celebrate 170 years with business partners and friends during Luxury Packaging 2015 and share with them our next wave of high-quality products.”

In addition, James Cropper Paper will introduce two new papers specifically designed to enrich the broadest possible range of printing outcomes - Porcelain, a pure white product that provides the crispest and smoothest of blank canvases for designers and Elation, a high-grade and versatile felt-marked paper available in 8 classic colours. Existing ranges, Comet with its shimmering pearlescent finish and the pastel tones of Lorenzo parchment will also be present at Luxury Packaging Innovations in new variants.

About Technical Fibre Products and James Cropper plc:

About Technical Fibre Products:

Technical Fibre Products (TFP) is a leading nonwoven manufacturer, offering a broad choice of high quality, technically advanced nonwovens for an array of challenging applications across industries ranging from aerospace and defence to automotive, energy, industrial, construction and healthcare. TFP is part of James Cropper plc and continues the group's 169 year tradition of building highly effective collaborative relationships with customers, enabling the development of custom material solutions to meet unique performance, process and aesthetic requirements.

About James Cropper plc:

James Cropper is based in the Lake District, England’s foremost National Park, with a paper-making heritage that started in 1845. Since its inception the business has been carefully stewarded and nurtured by six generations of the Cropper family.

Today the business is renowned globally for its luxury packaging papers, which accompany many of the world’s most exclusive brands, while the world’s leading artists, galleries and museums use its framing and archival boards alongside its range of conventional artists materials.  As well as paper products, James Cropper also manufactures nonwovens from carbon, glass and polymer fibres, which play a key part in production of composites in the automotive, energy and aerospace sectors.

To find out more about the innovative production methods, product range, responsible manufacturing principles and history of Technical Fibre Products and James Cropper, please visit www.tfpglobal.com and www.jamescropper.com.

A creative process often starts with a white piece of paper, sketched on and discarded. But, what happens when you ask a group of artists to make white paper the beginning, middle and end of a creative project? Redefining Paper, initiated by James Cropper Paper, challenged eight creatives to separately explore the potential of white paper, with surprising results.

In all, the white paper has remained pure, no more so than the minimalist, ‘unroll and hang’, customisable wall clock from Leeds-based duo, Rosanna and Clint,its simplicity being a willing and brilliant surrender to the understated grandeur of the material itself. The limits of the paper are pushed in the opposite direction by Manchester contemporary jeweller, Megan Ocheduszko, whose tight spinning of a length of paper forms a wearable necklace, alongside robust, durable rings. The responses say as much about the creative mind’s response to a stark, blank canvas, as it does about the resilience and versatility of the material at hand.

Supplied with a limited amount of Porcelain, a high-quality, smooth white paper made from virgin pulp by the British master papermakers, the hand-picked creatives were given freedom to explore its material properties. The only rules were to resist colouring the paper with dyes and avoid degrading it, such as by soaking in liquid.  By early-summer this year, the creatives had returned with the results, showing that the simplest ideas can do most justice to the simplest of materials.

Manchester’s rising architectural protégé, James Donegan brings digital brilliance and a steady hand with his modular sculpture of hundreds of separate, unglued components. A contemporary paper pendant lampshade from London’s Laura Nelson uses incisions more often found in metal work to subtly alter the paper in unforeseen ways. From Daniel Reed’s ethereal soundscape to Daniel Hoolahan’s laboriously cut, layered vase made from over 400 individual paper rings to Thomas Mills’ ceiling sculpture and James Condon’s mesmerising animation, the ideas and executions have demonstrated that there remains much inspiration to be found in white paper.

Chris Brown, Commercial Director for James Cropper Paper, says: “We overlook the versatility of white paper at our peril; it’s the ultimate blank canvas. In engaging with creative collaborators to work with one of our most versatile and immaculate papers, Porcelain, our intention was to prove that you can achieve previously unthinkable results with something so often taken for granted. The results speak for themselves, summing up our collective appreciation for the potential of an agile, creative mind and a simple sheet of white paper.”

Redefining Paper has been initiated as part of James Cropper Paper’s ongoing support for leading creative talent, which has included Steve Messam’s PaperBridge, a bridge made entirely of paper spanning a Lake District river earlier in 2015, and the internationally-renowned Gerald Exhibition at NYC x Design in 2012. Each of the creatives will be in line for selection as a standout ‘Chairman’s Choice’ piece by James Cropper’s sixth generation Chairman, Mark Cropper, and considered for further collaborations with the British manufacturer.

James Donegan, Architect

Helix

Digitally designed and hand built, Helix is a prototype of a sculptural form designed to fill gallery spaces. The modular construction involves hundreds of laser etched components, held together by intricate, precise interlocking cuts.

James says: “The process of making paper involves taking a highly structured, organic material and reducing it to a two dimensional blank space upon which one can easily express one’s ideas. The project realises this complexity and attempts to return the structural properties of the material from which it was derived. Through the uses of parametric design and digital manufacturing techniques the structure has been created without the use of any other material, fixings or adhesives.”

Dan Hoolahan, Product Designer

www.danhoolahan.co.uk

Porcelain Vase

Subtly colouring the paper through the heat of laser cutting, Hoolahan stretches the brief at the same time as directly referencing the name of the paper, Porcelain, in the form of a vase made of hundreds of glued rings.

Dan says: “I immediately wanted my piece to reflect the name of the paper range, Porcelain. Porcelain being commonly associated with ceramics such as bowls and vases it felt natural to play on this theme. Using a laser cutter, my sheet of paper was cut into rings of varying sizes. 449 of these rings, including closed pieces for the base, were then glued together in no particular order to create a structure.”

Laura Nelson, Product Designer

www.lauranelson.co.uk

Burneside Shade

Seemingly effortless, yet painstakingly crafted, Nelson has created a highly desirable shade that, in any other material, would appear industrial and cold, yet in paper appears serene as light diffuses through its precise lines and clean cuts.

Laura says: “The Burneside Shade exploits the durability and structural properties of the paper through three-dimensional design. I have chosen a lampshade, as it demonstrates structural properties of the paper and manipulates light in different ways through simple cutting and folding techniques. Two lampshades can be produced from one sheet of 640mm x 900mm paper.”

Rosanna and Clint, Designers

www.rosannaandclint.com

Kairos

A product of show-stopping potential as a mass-marketable household item or corporate gift. The paper has barely changed save for a few strategic cuts, all made by hand for prototyping, and yet the raw material has been transformed. Kairos remains a piece of paper as pure as the moment it was made, living a double life as an irrepressibly stylish and customisable home or office accessory.

Rosanna says: “Our initial interpretation of the brief was the importance for the paper’s original characteristics to remain in the finished piece, aiming to do only what was necessary to transform the single sheet of paper. After some exploration and experimentation we liked the idea of creating a timepiece. The opportunity to create an object with such functional purpose is something that excites us in the studio.”

The full range of works included in Redefining Paper can be seen at www.redefiningpaper.com and information about James Cropper Paper at www.jamescropperpaper.com

ABOUT JAMES CROPPER & TECHNICAL FIBRE PRODUCTS (TFP):

James Cropper are prestige paper innovators based in the English Lake District, supplying distinct, custom-made paper products to many of the world’s leading luxury brands, art galleries and designers. A proud sponsor of artists and exhibitions including events at Frieze Masters and NYCxDesign, James Cropper Paper is committed to supporting creativity. Celebrating 170 years of high quality paper production in 2015, the business has been carefully stewarded and nurtured by six generations of the Cropper family and is renowned globally for individual expertise in colour, dedicated responses to the most challenging custom projects and award-winning commitment to the highest standards of sustainability.

A network of global sales and production facilities from Europe to the Far East provides local customer service to international clients, while its historic base in the village of Burneside retains nearly two centuries worth of paper making expertise.

As well as paper products, James Cropper PLC also incorporates Technical Fibre Products (TFP), manufacturers of non-woven materials from carbon, glass and polymer fibres, which play a key part in production of composites in the automotive, energy and aerospace sectors. For further information visit: www.jamescropper.com and www.tfpglobal.com

The first greetings cards to be made from recycled coffee cups are now available, courtesy of eco-friendly card company Glebe Cottage, celebrating recycling innovation at the same time as birthdays, weddings and anniversaries.

When James Cropper PLC revealed that they had solved the riddle of how to recycle many of the billions of coffee cups thrown away each year, one of the paper packaging industry’s long-standing problems, there was cause for celebration. Now, two years after that landmark announcement, British eco-friendly greetings card maker, Glebe Cottage will ensure that those coffee cups go towards making more happy memories in a new range of cards.

After life as a coffee cup, James Cropper Paper separates the high-quality pulp fibres from the plastic content and returns it to the paper supply chain. Glebe Cottage has chosen Coffee, James Cropper Paper’s leading product containing no less than 50% reclaimed fibres from this process, as the board for its new Becky Bettesworth Collection. So happy are they with the paper, the company has already started to release other collections, including the latest designs from Devon artist Kate Andrew, on the same stock.

Sue Morrish, Glebe Cottage’s Sales Director, said: “We were privileged to visit the James Cropper paper mill in February this year. When we saw this innovative new uncoated paper we knew it was a perfect fit with our environmental credentials and were thrilled when our print tests showed that it also printed beautifully.”

Opened by Her Majesty the Queen in July 2013, James Cropper’s Reclaimed Fibre Facility was the result of a £5million investment and has since seen millions of cups turned back into paper.  The investment was recognised by the paper industry as a landmark development in the progression of sustainable paper production, being awarded The Luxepack In Green Award in the same year. The Coffee range, which comes in six colours, was launched in September 2014 and was the first paper to take the recycled cup content to 50%.

Chris Brown, Commercial Director of James Cropper PLC, says: “Coffee is an extremely versatile product, responding well to a wide variety of applications in packaging, print and design and fulfilling the needs of many of our customers in regards to their high standards of sustainability. Glebe Cottage have found that it stands up to commercial print requirements and we’re pleased to be a small part of putting a smile on people’s faces when they open one of these beautifully made cards.”

In 2014, James Cropper PLC became one of 14 international companies to formally join the Paper Recovery and Recycling Group (PCRRG), drawing together paper and paper cup manufacturers with high street coffee retailers, to conduct in-market trials of recycling processes and end products, with emphasis on the UK market.

James Cropper PLC maintains significant investment in new technologies not only within its paper division, incorporating converting capabilities, but also Technical Fibre Products, a specialist supplier into to the composites market for non-wovens for aerospace, automotive and construction.

Productivity and innovation cannot come at any price and James Cropper Paper’s efforts to ensure the health and safety of staff and visitors has been recognised by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) at their annual awards ceremony.

L-R: Debbie Ingram, Health Safety and Environment Advisor and Anthony Bowness, Group Safety Health and Environment Manager.

Meeting the paper demands of international luxury brands and manufacturers can be done safely and a recent award for James Cropper Paper from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) goes to prove it once again. Awarded in a Gala Ceremony at the London, ExCeL Exhibition Centre on Thursday 16 June 2015, the RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards panel awarded James Cropper their Gold Award for Occupational Health and Safety.

The award is judged against demanding criteria and comes in recognition of consistent high standards in monitoring health and safety on site and maintaining a process of continual improvement. The company’s benchmarking of safety performance against the high standards of RoSPA offers an unquestionable level of scrutiny into the day-to-day operations of all parts of the business.

Dave Watson, Chief Operations Officer, said: “There are few other awards which sum up a company’s commitment to keeping people safe than those presented by RoSPA, so we are honoured by the decision to present us with this. At the same time, we expect to achieve the highest standards and judge ourselves by these award criteria during the course of each day. This is due recognition of the meticulous plans and procedures implemented and respected by our colleagues.”

The Gold Award is the highest single level of award that RoSPA present to companies and entrants must provide rigourous evidence of a good health and safety management system. As a result of this accolade, James Cropper Paper will have the opportunity to use the award logo on company stationery and website.

James Cropper Paper’s innovative direct print, no-adhesive, instant wall art product, Khora is awarded Best Special Application Substrate at the European Digital Press Association Awards in Cologne.

Turning a photograph into instant wall art was made effortless with the launch of Khora by James Cropper Paper in September 2014, allowing image makers of all backgrounds to put print-ready art directly onto a no-adhesive, no-fixings, no-fuss display box. The innovation has taken less than a year to receive its first industry plaudits, with an award from the European Digital Press Association (EPA).   

Presented in front of an international audience of paper and printing specialists on Wednesday 20 May at the FESPA 2015 print technology exhibition in Cologne, Germany, Khora was named as the year’s Best Special Application Substrate. Opening up the possibility for an image to be taken from a camera to a professional box presentation in five minutes, the product was recognised by judges for its versatility, convenience and permanence. The EDP jury commented “Developed by British boutique paper mill James Cropper.  It uses the firm’s high-quality archival paper to ensure long-lasting high quality results that meet the most demanding artist and gallery requirements, while being simple to assemble needing no glue, tape or staples”.

Supplied flat for digital inkjet printing, the pre-scored product offers immaculate reproduction from high-resolution image files. The quick and easy ‘lock-in’ construction, completed by one person, uses fold-in tabs to create a canvas-like box structure ready for hanging direct from the printer, without the need for further processing. The high-definition, conservation-standard board offers sharp and long-lasting print results on both water-based dye and pigment inkjet systems.

Watch the high speed construction of Khora here: https://vimeo.com/104613857

Geoff Leech, Art and Digital Director for James Cropper Paper, said on receiving the award: “Khora is a new and exciting product and for it to be recognised as such by the printing industry so soon after its launch is testament to its great potential. Convenience and exceptional quality are two things that image makers – whether private photographers or commercial designers – are calling on us to provide, and with Khora we believe we have delivered exactly that. Product development is a day-in day-out activity at James Cropper Paper and we’re grateful that the hard work that has gone into making Khora so special has been acknowledged.”

The EPA Awards are presented by the industry body in association with a number of global media outlets. The Federation of Global Screen and Digital Printing Trade Associations holds the FESPA trade exhibition every year to showcase the work of the biggest names in printing innovation, from textile printing to automotive body wraps.

To find out more about James Cropper Paper and the art and design projects they support, please visit: www.jamescropper.com

A stark vision in red, set against the verdant greens of the Helvellyn peak in the Lake District, a bridge made entirely from paper takes its place in the British countryside to defy both belief and gravity.

20,000 sheets of poppy red paper and 4 tonnes of stone drawn from the river bed are all that environmental artist; Steve Messam is using to create PaperBridge, a stunning intervention into one of Britain’s most dramatic landscapes.  This remarkable, weight-bearing paper bridge, resplendent in red, will straddle a flowing waterway in the beautiful Lake District as part of Lakes Ignite from Friday 8 May 2015.

Using traditional stone bridge building methods, starting with stone-filled cages to root the structure to the ground at either side of the river, before using an innovative wooden form to shape the arc of the paper, Messam uses no adhesives or fixings to keep the paper in place. The design of the form comes courtesy of Peter Foskett, formerly of the renowned Pentagram design agency, who has designed it to be raised fractionally towards the end of the construction to ensure a smooth, compact arch as the final sheets of paper are inserted.

Supplied by one of Britain’s oldest and locally based paper manufacturers, James Cropper, the paper is more commonly found in packaging for luxury brands than in the construction of all-weather, rural bridges. The challenge of ensuring it stands up to all elements, from the weather to curious animals, has not been lost on the artist, who has been careful to ensure that the environmental impact of the installation is close to zero, by selecting colour-fast papers and using stone found only on or near to the site itself.

Steve Messam says: “PaperBridge relies on vernacular architectural principles as used in the drystone walls and the original pack-horse bridges that dot the Lake District, using gravity and the pressure between the sheets of paper to form a strong structure. These have stood, in many cases, for more than a century so the principles of its design ensure it is strong enough to take the weight of people and local livestock if they become curious. None of the red colour will run into the water or surrounding earth and the paper will comfortably stand up to expected weather conditions.”

Anticipated to confuse and delight walkers who encounter it for around ten days, the installation is one of a series of temporary cultural installations set to appear in the Lake District National Park through 2015, commissioned by Lakes Culture. Sited at a stream above Patterdale in Cumbria, the location is deliberately remote, ensuring that visitors can enjoy it in peace and consider the contrast of the construction to the unspoilt, natural setting.

Usha Mistry, Project Manager for Lakes Culture, says:‘’PaperBridge is a unique large-scale temporary installation made entirely from bright red paper traversing a flowing river in the iconic Lake District landscape as part of ‘Lakes Ignite’, Lakes Culture’s showcase spring arts programme. As part of the programme Lakes Culture, working alongside some of the region’s key arts organisations, has commissioned a number of unique art pieces: Harmonica Botanica, Point To Point, Take Me Back to Manchester film, as well as PaperBridge. This is part of a pro-active project that demonstrates how this unique area has resonated with artists in the past and continues to inspire makers and performers working across a vast array of art forms, firmly emphasising the Lake District’s important role within the UK’s rich cultural life.’’

The PaperBridge concept has been in development for a number of years, but the organisation of the paper sheets to form the bridge takes just a matter of hours once initial onsite preparations have been made. A short period of testing makes the bridge sound for intrepid visitors to take their first steps over a river on nothing but paper. Once the installation has come to its end, the paper will return to James Cropper Paper in nearby Burneside, Kendal for recycling.

Chris Brown, Commercial Director for James Cropper Paper comments: “Paper has so many surprising qualities and uses, but PaperBridge takes the sheer weight of our product and lets nature do the rest. It’s a brilliantly simple idea that takes real ingenuity to pull off, so all credit to the artist in achieving what appears to be the impossible. The choice of colour, a stark red that won’t run into the water beneath, is an inspired choice and we’re very pleased that the paper will return to us to be recycled to support inspirational projects for other artists or designers.”

To find out more about art and culture in the Lake District, Cumbria or about ‘Lakes Ignite’ please visit www.lakesculture.co.uk and https://twitter.com/LakesCulture

To find out more about the work of the environmental artist, Steve Messam, and to follow project updates please visit www.stevemessam.co.uk/paperbridge and www.twitter.com/rougeit

To find out more about James Cropper Paper and the art and design projects they support, please visit: www.jamescropper.com

ABOUT LAKES CULTURE/LAKES IGNITE

• Lakes Culture aims to bring together the area’s tourism and cultural sectors to better promote the wealth of cultural activities on offer reaffirming the area as the UK’s leading rural cultural destination.
• The Lake District is one of only ten locations in the country to benefit from Cultural Destinations initiative a focused programme set up by Arts Council England and VisitEngland. The aim of Cultural destinations is to enable arts and culture organisations working in partnership with destination organisations to increase their reach, engagement and resilience through working with the tourism sector. Closer working between the two sectors will contribute to the economic growth of the cultural and tourism visitor economies.
• Organisations involved in the project include Kendal Brewery Arts Centre (Lead Organisation), Lakeland Arts, Kendal Arts International, Wordsworth Trust, Theatre by the Lake, The Forestry Commission - Grizedale, Cumbria Tourism, The National Trust, Lake District National Park and South Lakeland District Council.
• The Lakes Culture project will also form a supporting strand of the World Heritage Status bid to be submitted by the Lake District National Park and partners.

 ABOUT JAMES CROPPER & TECHNICAL FIBRE PRODUCTS (TFP):

James Cropper is based in the Lake District, England’s first and foremost National Park, with a paper-making heritage that started in 1845. Since its inception the business has been carefully stewarded and nurtured by six generations of the Cropper family.

Today the business is renowned globally for its luxury packaging papers, which accompany many of the world’s most exclusive brands, while the world’s leading artists, galleries and museums use its framing and archival boards alongside its range of conventional artists materials.  As well as paper products, James Cropper also manufactures nonwovens from carbon, glass and polymer fibres, which play a key part in production of composites in the automotive, energy and aerospace sectors.

Technical Fibre Products (TFP) is a leading nonwoven manufacturer, offering a broad range of high quality, technically advanced nonwovens which can be customised to meet specific application requirements. Established nearly 30 years ago, TFP primarily operates within the automotive, and aerospace composite markets while also providing effective solutions in the defence, energy, consumer electronics, industrial, construction and healthcare markets. Utilising extensive materials knowledge within polymers, particulates & speciality fibres together with high specification lamination, metal fibre coating and converting capabilities, TFP provide a wide range of customised solutions.

Hundreds of children from schools in Cumbria, UK are coming together to write the world’s longest letter during National Stationery Week 2015. Writing messages on continuous rolls of paper supplied by James Cropper Paper, the letter will measure a huge 4800 metres long.

For anyone that has opened a telephone bill or bank statement and wondered if it would ever end, they haven’t seen anything on the scale of the letter being written right now in the north of England. School children in Kendal, Cumbria – nestling in the picturesque Lake District – have come together to write what will be the longest letter ever written.

Initiated by local business and internationally renowned luxury paper manufacturer, James Cropper Paper, hundreds of children have set about writing the letter as National Stationery Week (27 April – 3 May) gets underway, on the eve of World Stationery Day (29 April). Each child will be writing a short message about what they love about their home in the Lake District, supporting the National Park’s bid for UNESCO World Heritage status.

To begin the attempt, children gathered at Castle Park Primary School, Kendal – one of eight schools taking part - to write themselves into the history books.

Helen Richardson, Head Teacher at Castle Park Primary School, said: “It will be a real challenge to fill such a huge piece of paper, but it shouldn’t be too difficult to inspire the children to write about what they love about the natural beauty that’s on their doorstep. Everyone is very proud to be involved. We won’t be marking their work on this occasion, but will keep a watchful eye over spelling as they go along.”

National Stationery Week has taken place every year for the past three years as a way of reminding people about the value of writing by hand and the remaining manufacturers of high quality materials for correspondence. James Cropper has supplied reels of its high quality Ambassador range for the challenge, a product usually reserved for the printing of corporate stationery and VIP invitations.

Tim Tidman, Product Manager at James Cropper said: “It’s all too rare to get a handwritten letter these days, so why not take it to the extreme and remind everyone of that simple pleasure? Having so many children living close to our mill be involved in this project is fantastic and it’s even more special that their words will go towards the Lakes’ bid for UNESCO World Heritage status. It’s been our home for almost two centuries and it still inspires our environmentally friendly, stationery papers.”

Once written on and signed by children and teachers, the eight reels of paper that make up the letter will be brought together and displayed at Brockhole, the Lake District Visitor Centre in Windermere, before being handed to the UNESCO bid team in 2016.