Seed Paper: the paper that becomes a plant
A post-consumer solution that reduces the negative impact of man on the environment
A seed that after germinating turns into a plant is not exactly a novelty. But imagine a piece of paper that can be placed in a pot with soil and, after watering, it germinates in a month. Excuse the pun, this idea has already left the paper: it is Seed Paper (Papel Semente, in free translation), produced by the Brazilian company that develops it by hand, from recycled paper and, of course, containing embedded seeds.
The project started in 2008 and the paper has already gone through several tests before being marketed. It has the same physical characteristics as a sheet of recycled paper, however it contains seeds.
During its manufacture, the paper receives seeds from assorted tunic cloves (or French cloves), lion's mouth, basil, chamomile, pepper and arugula. After the paper has served its initial purpose, the user should look for an area of 45 cm², place the paper in fertile soil and water it every day. In about 1 month, germination will occur. This number of days may vary depending on weather conditions and soil type.
The paper can be printed using silkscreen (screen printing) or water-based inkjet to avoid seed contamination. It has two types of color: natural, which is typical of recycled paper, and white. Size can vary, however, the most common models are the A4 and 66cm x 96cm.
In terms of application, it can be used in the manufacture of name tags (photo above), cards, invitations, packaging, notepads, envelopes, among others. Basically, all products that have a short shelf life can contain Seed Paper.
For those interested in the post-consumer solution, the lion's mouth seed paper can be found, along with more information, on the official website.
Image: Hamilton Penna
