Stone paper: what it is and what it changes

Stone paper has a reputation as a paper that withstands water. That is often true, and it is only part of the story. Here is what it really is, what it does better than standard paper, and how to choose it for your object.

Stone paper, mineral paper: what it is

Despite its name, stone paper contains no paper pulp. It is calcium carbonate powder, the stone in limestone, bound into a flexible, printable sheet. No wood fibre.

It is also sold as mineral paper or rock paper. Same family, same principle.

NotPaper belongs to this family: a material made mostly of calcium carbonate, held together by a binding agent, with no wood fibre. The result: a flexible, printable sheet that folds and can be shaped.

What it does well

A material is judged in use. The tests that matter are simple:

• Water: the material does not absorb water, depending on the application. A menu in the rain, a label by the washbasin.
• Grease: sun cream, oil, fingers. The material stays presentable.
• Tearing: folded, refolded, slipped into a pocket, it is designed to withstand repeated handling, to be checked on your prototype.
• Finish: a feel and a whiteness close to premium paper, with printing, solid colours and patterns. Hot foil, embossing and spot varnish are optional added finishes.
• Fibre: no wood in the material.

This resistance comes from the material itself, without lamination, depending on the application and in our use tests. Standard paper gets laminated or varnished when use gets rough. Here, protection is not a layer added on top: it is part of the material.

What it changes for your object

An object that stays presentable for longer is seen differently. A menu that does not buckle after a shower, a wine or champagne label that stays crisp in the ice bucket, a hotel bag that keeps its shape by the bath: the customer sees the brand, not the wear.

Fewer layers. Resistance is part of the material: no film glued on top, depending on the application.

No wood fibre. The base is mineral: no paper pulp in the material.

Leaner manufacturing. At NotPaper: 23% less CO₂e than virgin paper, made with no trees, no process water and no chlorine bleaching, and up to 67% less than plastics, weight for weight. ITRI measurement from raw material to factory gate; details on the Proof and compliance page.

A material is not judged by its name. It is judged by the finished object, in the customer’s hand.

Printing on stone paper: prototype first

Inks, glues, foil, varnish: on a mineral material, they do not always behave as they do on paper. Every project is validated on the real object, in four steps:

1. A prototype of your real object, with its shape, finishes and production method.
2. Use tests: water, grease, cold, rubbing, handling, folding.
3. Validation of inks, glues and foil.
4. A pilot run with your teams before rolling out.

How to decide

Ask yourself three questions before comparing quotes. Where does the object live: somewhere dry, or between water, grease and hands? How long must it stay presentable? Who handles it?

If the answer is “outside, for a long time, between water and hands”, stone paper deserves a prototype. To see the material, touch it and wet it, go to NotPaper, the material.