G . F Smith X Papersmiths Installation

G . F Smith x Papersmiths

We are thrilled to collaborate with G . F Smith, renowned for their exceptional papers.

Our notebook covers and gift sets feature G . F Smith Colorplan paper, manufactured in the Lake District. This collaboration is our homage to the exquisite paper-making process, showcasing how these premium papers journey from the landscape to your desk.

Obsessed with the beauty and possibility of paper, G . F Smith is the UK’s largest specialist paper company, and the dedicated supplier of creative papers to the creative industries. The company was founded in London in 1885 by globe-trotting stationery salesman George Frederick Smith. Over the following century, George’s paper merchants built a reputation for quality and service and became renowned as passionate pioneers of the paper industry. G . F Smith became a certified B Corp in June 2023.

Colorplan remains one of G . F Smith’s most extraordinary achievements in paper making.
Over the last 80 years, it has continually refined and evolved the range, which now spans 55 colours, 25 embossings and 10 weights – all made sustainably in Britain and available worldwide.

Our notebooks roots

Each notebook in our debut collection features a thick 270gsm G . F Smith paper cover, finished with a beautiful, tactile emboss. The expertise passed down through generations of factory experts for over 100 years ensures the highest quality paper and vibrant colours.

Understanding the roots of our notebooks brings us to the heart of the process:

The Paper Mill

Responsible sourcing
G . F Smith is committed to sustainability. Their papers are 100% sourced from responsibly managed forests, certified to FSC® or PEFC® standards. This ensures that every sheet of paper is made with care for the environment. Over 90% of the water used in the paper making process is returned clean to the catchment.
Biodiversity
From the harvest site to the pulp mill and the final product, G . F Smith maintains effective fibre traceability. This guarantees the legality of wood sources and promotes biodiversity and sustainable land use practices throughout the production process.
Wellbeing
The paper mill takes a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and is committed to ethical business practices. They operate with integrity and transparency, ensuring a positive and respectful work environment.

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You can find more information about G . F Smith’s commitment to paper and the environment here

How is the paper made?

Testing
Before reaching your hands, the paper has been through rigorous prototyping. This ensures the best quality paper, capable of maintaining vibrant colours and high durability, is used.
Colour process
Each colour has undergone extensive testing to prepare it for various uses. This includes tests for bleeding and quality under different lighting conditions, ensuring the colours remain consistent and true. Once perfected, the colour process moves to the pulp mixing stage.
Paper pulpers
Once the paper pulp arrives at the warehouse, it is transferred into the pulpers. These pulpers mix the fibr with water taken from the river to make paper stock. This is them pumped into a large tank called a blender chest where it is mixed with the dye, then checked by skilled eyes.
The paper machine
The paper is then piped to the paper machines. After going through a refining process, the 99% water and 1% fibre stock comes onto the paper machine. It flows through onto the 'wire' which is a moving mesh conveyor belt. The water is then drained through the mesh using gravity and vacuums. This leaves a mat of fibres on the top of the wire.
Paper making
At the end of the wire section, the wet sheet is cut into the required width using small jets. The sheet is then fed into the press section where water is squeezed out by heavy rolls. The paper passes into a drying section, then through rolls to control surface smoothness. At this point the paper contains around 7% water.
Final touches
Once G . F Smith receives the paper at their warehouse in Hull, it is then treated, embossed and cut using both old and new techniques. Their embossing and paper cutting machines create the final touch of our Papersmiths notebook designs.

The Embossing and Debossing

At G . F Smith's headquarters in Hull, paper embossing is done using a mix of Victorian-era machines and modern technology. One of the original embossing machines, an impressive relic from the company's early days, still operates on the ground floor/ A highlight of the enduring legacy of traditional craftsmanship.

The embossed texture comes from heavy metal rollers, which can produce many different embossed effects. We incorporate these techniques into our notebook covers and gift boxes, providing a luxurious and tactile experience.

Each of our notebooks feature a unique emboss. Some examples can be seen below.

Azurite
Limoncello
Marais
Clissold

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From pulp to pages

Once the paper is made, the parts are put together by a family run book bindery in Buckinghamshire. They bind and print the notebooks with veggie inks. This seamless journey from responsible sourcing to the final product underscores the unparalleled quality and craftsmanship of G . F Smith paper.

Choose from dot grid, plain or ruled paper inside our notebooks.