German Paper Maker Hahnemühle Offers Four Papers Made from Eco-friendly Sustainable Fibers. Let’s Try Them Out.
In the video, we take a detailed look at all four of Hahnemühle’s Natural Line of sustainable fine art photo papers, including the new Sugar Cane, which has just arrived in the U.S. The video includes a side-by-side comparison of the papers’ textures and sample prints on each one.
Eco Benefits of these Papers
The Natural Line represents Hahnemühle’s effort to produce a much-needed line of fine art photo papers that require less water (than traditional paper components like wood and cotton), require no pesticides, and have shorter growing cycles which means they can provide higher yield on equivalent acreage.
Here are a few interesting facts about the company:
- They were founded in 1584 making them Germany’s oldest manufacturer of artist’s papers.
- They’re still in the original location.
- They’re still using a local spring as their water supply, and the water must meet strict environmental criteria before being released back into the creek.
As a landscape photographer, these eco-friendly efforts are important to me. Photography is not the most environmentally-friendly occupation, so every bit helps.
Papers Shown in the Video include Sugar Cane, Agave, Hemp, and Bamboo.
Disclosure: Hahnemühle supplied free paper samples, along with a pair of cotton gloves and a duo pen signing set.
00:00 Introduction
00:20 Disclosure
00:56 Sugar Cane Product Details
01:22 Agave Product Details
01:42 Hemp Product Details
02:00 Bamboo Product Details
02:16 Sugar Cane Paper Examination
03:30 Agave Paper Examination
04:21 Hemp Paper Examination
05:21 Bamboo Paper Examination
06:05 Papers Side-by-Side
07:15 Print Samples
07:20 Sugar Cane Sample Prints
09:09 Agave Sample Prints
10:05 Hemp Sample Prints
12:02 Bamboo Sample Prints
Some of the paper samples included small flecks on their surface, similar to what might be seen in recycled paper.
Try a sample pack of Hahnemuhle’s Natural Line (Amazon link)
I Had a Problem with Sugar Cane’s ICC Profile
In my first prints on the brand new Sugar Cane paper, I encountered problems making proper prints — my black and white prints were distinctly green. The problem was caused by a flawed ICC profile that affected my particular printer setup. I use a Mac / Epson combination.
This probably will not affect your printing setup, but if it does, Hahnemühle recommends using the Bamboo ICC profile to make prints on Sugar Cane on an interim basis. Be sure to notify Hahnemühle about any issue you may have so they can check the code in the ICC profile.
Be sure to scroll down to see the excellent print I made on Sugar Cane paper. I used the Agave ICC profile.
Download Hahnemühle ICC profiles here
About Hahnemühle’s Natural Line of Fine Art Photo Papers
Sugar Cane
300 gsm · 70% sugar cane fibers · 30% cotton · natural white
- Hahnemühle Sugar Cane is made of 70% bagasse fibers, a by-product of sugar cane processing.
- 300 gsm, 70% sugar cane fibers, 30% cotton
- Natural White, without optical brightening agents (OBAs)
- Clearly defined surface texture
- Matt premium inkjet coating for outstanding print results
- Acid- and lignin-free
- ISO 9706 compliant / museum quality for high age resistance
- Compatible with pigment and dye inkjet systems
- ICC profile available
Agave
290 gsm · 70% agave sisal fiber · 30% cotton · white
- TIPA World Award 2020 “Best Inkjet Photo Paper”: Hahnemühle Natural Line
- 290 gsm, 70% agave fiber, 30% cotton
- White, without optical brighteners
- Rough, yet delicately defined surface texture
- Matt premium inkjet coating for outstanding print results
- Acid- and lignin-free
- ISO 9706 compliant / museum quality for high age resistance
- Compatible with pigment and dye inkjet systems
- ICC profile available
Hemp
290 gsm, 60% hemp fiber, 40% cotton, white
Hahnemühle says “hemp was an essential part of paper production for centuries, and due to its extremely robust fibers, it has often been used for long-lasting historical documents, such as the Gutenberg Bible and the US Declaration of Independence.”
- TIPA World Award 2020 “Best Inkjet Photo Paper”: Hahnemühle Natural Line
- 290 gsm, 60% hemp fibre, 40% cotton
- White, without optical brighteners
- Lightly textured felt structure
- Matt premium inkjet coating for outstanding print results
- Acid- and lignin-free
- ISO 9706 compliant / museum quality for high age resistance
- Compatible with pigment and dye inkjet systems
- ICC profile available
Bamboo
290 gsm · 90% bamboo fibers · 10% cotton · natural white
- TIPA World Award 2020 “Best Inkjet Photo Paper”: Hahnemühle Natural Line
- 290 gsm, 90% bamboo fibres, 10% cotton
- Natural white, without optical brighteners
- Soft, lightly textured felt structure
- Matt premium inkjet coating for outstanding print results
- Acid- and lignin-free
- ISO 9706 conform / museum quality for highest age resistance
- Compatible with pigment and dye inkjet systems
- ICC profile available
Thanks for reading.
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~ Keith
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