If you are looking for a gift for a special occasion or someone dear to you, this article is mandatory! Have you ever heard of the wonderful and refined Amalfi paper? This is the right opportunity to get to know something new. Today, I will show you one of the most special products from Manufactus, and one that we are most fond of: the Amalfi paper journals. 

Amalfi Paper Journals: The Reasons Behind their Peerless BeautyBefore showing you some examples of what you will find in our store, let’s take a few steps back, and start from the beginning: what is Amalfi paper and why it makes our leather journals so special!

Amalfi Paper: Some Historical Notes

The first appearance of Amalfi paper dates back to the 13th century, even if, according to some sources, the first paper mills were already working during the decades before.

It was initially used for notarial documents, until emperor Frederick I forbade its use in 1220, regarding the Amalfi paper much less durable than traditional parchment paper.

Despite the ban on use, the paper mills in Amalfi continued to operate, so much so that it is still possible to find 15th-century archive documents made of Amalfi paper.

The year 1954 was a tragic one for these type of specialised paper mills: in fact, a strong flood caused the destruction of all but three factories. The same fate befell the families of paper makers: the only ones which continued to operate in the field were those of Francesco Imperato, who still produces Amalfi paper in Palermo; the Milano family, to whom we owe the transformation of their paper mill into a Museum (The Amalfi Paper Museum); the Amatruda family, which is the best known and most famous to date, and that still carries on the production of handmade Amalfi paper.

Nowadays, the Amalfi paper is mostly employed for wedding and other ceremonies’ announcements.

Amalfi Paper Production Process

Amalfi paper is produced using white linen, cotton, and hemp rags, instead of wood cellulose. For this reason, Amalfi paper is also known as Charta Bambagina.

In ancient production, the fabrics were reduced to a pulp by means of nailed hammers which were activated by large hydraulically propelled mills: today, on the other hand, more technological and sophisticated machines are employed, which make it possible to achieve a greater refinement in the end product.

The resulting paste is then dissolved in water, filtered, and eventually transformed into sheets by use of special frames. 

Handmade Amalfi paper notebooks: Manufactus products

Taking into account the great elegance and refinement of the Amalfi paper, Manufactus could not fail to devote an entire series of notebooks to this prestigious product of Italian craftsmanship.

In our store you can find handmade leather notebooks with Amalfi paper sheets, like the following ones: