Displaying items by tag: james cropper paper

British master papermaker James Cropper is set to take a bite of the food packaging industry by unveiling its first ever food contact-approved range of papers at this year’s Luxe Pack exhibition in Monaco.

The luxurious range, named Dolcelicious, is designed to elevate the packaging experience for premium food brands and is suitable for contact with dry, moist and fatty foodstuffs. The range is available in 11 eye-catching colours, including Lemon Drizzle, Liquorice, Silver Spoon and Kiwi Fizz.

2016 09 02 092959

Richard Burnett, market development manager at James Cropper, said: “We’ve been working with a variety of brands within the food industry for some time and realised there is a growing demand for high-quality coloured papers in this sector. Whether it’s a high-end chocolatier or a speciality tea and coffee brand, there’s a huge amount of competition to stand out in the market with a unique packaging solution. That’s why we developed Dolcelicious.

“We’re hugely excited to launch such a groundbreaking range and couldn’t think of a more fitting place to do so than Luxe Pack.”

2016 09 02 093027

The range has been designed to suit a variety of styles, from organic, subtle and natural to glamorous, rich and bold. Attendees of the show will be able to browse the many options presented by Dolcelicious, while experts will be on hand to provide individual consultations.

James Cropper will also be showcasing its new ‘Tailor Made’ service at the exhibition. The service allows brands to work with the company’s paper experts to develop innovative, custom-made packaging products that complement their style and strengthen the customer experience.

2016 09 02 093042

Susan Wilson, global packaging director at James Cropper, said: “Creating personalised solutions to brands’ paper requirements has always been at our core but now, with Tailor Made, we’re taking our bespoke service to a new level. Being fully immersed in the world of premium and luxury, we know how important it is for brands operating in that sector to express their individuality through their packaging, and we’re here to work closely with them to facilitate that.

“From the way the paper’s engineered, through to how it’s coloured, converted and embossed, we draw on our 170 years of paper-making expertise to create truly bespoke packaging that allows brands to tell their story through paper.”

James Cropper will be at Stand DB9.

For more information about Dolcelicious or to request a sample, visit www.dolcelicious.com. For more information about James Cropper, visit www.jamescropper.com.

Published in European News

With 170 years of British master papermaking experience, James Cropper is set to launch its innovative solutions to photographic display at this year’s Photokina – the leading international trade fair for imaging.

The bespoke paper manufacturer will introduce its Wall Ready Media range at the event, which takes place in Cologne from 20 to 25 September 2016.

2016 08 26 111729

The collection aims to provide high-quality, ready-to-hang photographic prints through the use of its photoboards and is targeted at the photo retail market, as well as the sign and display industry. The boards are available in a wide range of sizes and finishes, including matt, gloss and satin, allowing businesses to make significant time and cost savings, while still achieving razor-sharp quality.

Geoff Leech, Art, Framing & Inkjet Director at James Cropper, said: “We’re incredibly proud of our innovative approach at James Cropper, but also recognise that with innovation must come quality and it’s vital that we don’t lose sight of this as we continue to advance.

“Wall Ready Media is the perfect example of a product that’s derived from this methodology and we expect it will be a real game changer for the industry.”

In addition, James Cropper will showcase Khora, the papermaker’s range of photo quality print-ready inkjet boards which enable photographers, labs and retailers to create box canvases within minutes of printing without the need for glue, tape or staples.

Geoff continued: “From the camera to the wall in 10 minutes, Khora brings a new level of efficiency to professionals by providing the quick assembly that customers demand. As the market continues to grow, it’s a product with the capability to make a significant difference to users’ operations.”

The multi-award-winning paper manufacturer, which celebrated its landmark 170 year anniversary last year, prides itself on its premium and uncoated papermaking, which is unrivalled in quality, versatility, sustainability and service.

James Cropper will be at stand D16 in hall 3.1.

For more information, visit www.cropper.com or www.photokina.com

About James Cropper
James Cropper are prestige paper innovators based in the English Lake District, supplying distinct, custom-made paper products to many of the world’s leading luxury brands, art galleries and designers. Celebrating 170 years of high quality paper production in 2015, the business has been carefully stewarded and nurtured by six generations of the Cropper family and is renowned globally for individual expertise in colour, dedicated responses to the most challenging custom projects and award-winning commitment to the highest standards of sustainability.
A network of global sales and production facilities from Europe to the Far East provides local customer service to international clients, while its historic base in the village of Burneside retains nearly two centuries worth of papermaking expertise.

About James Cropper 3D Products
James Cropper 3D Products answers a global demand for sustainable packaging with the next generation of moulded paper packaging. Available in a wide variety of colours and with a naturally tactile finish, the product is design-engineered and has a clear focus on quality. Features to improve product value and packaging integrity, such as personal embossing, natural hinges and cut-outs, enhance brand impact. 3D Products are made from 100 per cent renewable natural fibres and are recyclable with paper.

About Technical Fibre Products (TFP)
As well as paper products, James Cropper plc also incorporates Technical Fibre Products (TFP), manufacturers of non-woven materials from carbon, glass and polymer fibres, which play a key part in production of composites in the automotive, energy and aerospace sectors.

Published in European News
Wednesday, 09 March 2016 14:35

James Cropper helps fashion a sustainable future

British master papermaker James Cropper has teamed up with long-standing client Selfridges for a dramatic art installation to promote sustainability in the fashion industry.

2016 03 09 143437

The large-scale sculpture, unveiled in all its glory to shoppers on 27 February, depicts two hands made from thousands of coloured paper cubes and is on show at the Exchange Square Manchester store of the luxury retailer – for whose signature yellow shopping bags James Cropper provides the paper.

The ‘hands of industry’ installation is a tribute to the concept of artisan craft mastered over generations. It was created by Lancashire artist Sam Robins, of studio Flow Creation, in partnership with the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester and was crafted entirely from a selection of James Cropper papers, made using reclaimed fibre from disposable paper cups.

2016 03 09 143451

The reclaimed fibre facility at James Cropper, which was opened by HM The Queen in 2013, uses a method that separates the paper from the plastic coating and currently processes the equivalent of 10 million paper cups per week from the off-cuts of paper cup manufacturers. The company has invested significantly in its plant and technology, to both develop its range of recycled materials and to ensure its own production methods are as sustainable as possible.

Susan Wilson, luxury packaging director at James Cropper, said: “Fashions may come and go, but a sense of style is forever. Similarly, we believe sustainability is more than a passing trend. This installation is about championing creativity with longevity – supported by the right mix of innovative and authentic production methods that respect the environment.”

2016 03 09 143510

The project comes as part of Selfridges’ dedication to sustainability in the fashion industry, through which it is encouraging its employees, partners and customers to buy responsibly and advocate sustainable products. With this art installation, the store is taking inspiration from the idea of ‘northern heritage’, focusing on northern companies that have a long history of manufacturing, have sustainable credentials and create products made using time honoured skills and production methods.

James Cropper has been making distinct, custom-made paper products from its base in the English Lake District since 1845 – working with many of the world’s leading art galleries, designers and luxury brands – and is a proud sponsor of other artists and exhibitions, including events at NYCxDesign, YSL at The Bowes and the ‘Paper Bar’ at London’s ICA for Thomas Pink’s Autumn/Winter 2015 collection.

For more information about James Cropper, visit www.jamescropper.com.

ABOUT JAMES CROPPER & TECHNICAL FIBRE PRODUCTS (TFP):

James Cropper are prestige paper innovators based in the English Lake District, supplying distinct, custom-made paper products to many of the world’s leading luxury brands, art galleries and designers. Celebrating 170 years of high quality paper production in 2015, the business has been carefully stewarded and nurtured by six generations of the Cropper family and is renowned globally for individual expertise in colour, dedicated responses to the most challenging custom projects and award-winning commitment to the highest standards of sustainability.

A network of global sales and production facilities from Europe to the Far East provides local customer service to international clients, while its historic base in the village of Burneside retains nearly two centuries worth of papermaking expertise.

As well as paper products, James Cropper PLC also incorporates Technical Fibre Products (TFP), manufacturers of non-woven materials from carbon, glass and polymer fibres, which play a key part in production of composites in the automotive, energy and aerospace sectors. For further information visit: www.jamescropper.com  and www.tfpglobal.com.

Published in European News
Thursday, 03 March 2016 10:32

Paper and Fashion unite on the catwalk

British master papermaker James Cropper recently teamed up with influential fashion designer Edeline Lee to deliver the paper for the set of her Autumn/Winter 2016 show at London Fashion Week.

The heritage paper manufacturer supplied beautiful and tactile papers for the scenography of the show, which took place on 19 February at The Vinyl Factory and marked the designer’s second collection to be exhibited at the prestigious event.

2016 03 03 103226

Canadian-born, London-based Edeline has gained international recognition for her dynamic fashion presentations, which have the immersive quality of film and live performance. She has apprenticed in the studios of Alexander McQueen and John Galliano, and worked at Zac Posen in New York and Rodnik in London, where she was head designer. She counts celebrities Alicia Vikander, Taylor Swift and Solange Knowles among her fans.

Speaking of the collaboration with James Cropper, Edeline said: “Over the years, I’ve learnt how every detail counts when it comes to creating luxury, which is why I wanted the paper for this set to come from a like-minded brand for which quality is paramount. All my designs are made by hand in England, so James Cropper, as an innately British company with an impressive heritage, was a perfect match.”

A chequerboard pattern was created using paper from James Cropper’s ‘Black’ and ‘Ambassador’ ranges, while height was achieved with shaped mounds of predominantly white shredded paper interspersed with bright accents from ‘Vanguard’ colours. The colourful and playful abstract paper shapes created a landscape behind the models that was anchored by the powerful black and white base to the scheme.

2016 03 03 103333

Susan Wilson, luxury packaging director at James Cropper, said: “There is, of course, a potent link between paper and fashion design. Being involved in this beautiful project maintains our public support for initiatives that champion creativity and, more specifically, how integral paper is to artistic processes. Edeline Lee continues to push boundaries with her designs and presentations and we’re proud to have come together for London Fashion Week. The show was magnificent!”

The artist behind the scenography was Kyung Roh Bannwart, who Edeline previously worked with on her Spring/Summer 2016 collection. She employs various media, including sculpture, sound light and objects, to build structure and create an emotional and physical experience.

The paper used for the presentation is destined to be recycled, aligned with James Cropper’s dedication to sustainability within the paper sector. The company has invested significantly in its plant and technology, to both develop its range of recycled materials and to ensure its own production methods are as sustainable as possible.

James Cropper supplies distinct, custom-made paper products to many of the world’s leading art galleries, designers and luxury brands – providing the paper for Selfridges’ signature yellow bags –  and is a proud sponsor of other artists and exhibitions, including events at NYCxDesign, YSL at The Bowes and the fabulous ‘Paper Bar’ at London’s ICA for Thomas Pink’s Autumn/Winter 2015 collection.

For more information about James Cropper, visit www.jamescropper.com.

Published in European News

British Master Papermaker, James Cropper, has successfully mimicked the luxurious look and feel of suede in paper form, creating a new generation of tactile luxury papers.  

suede paper1

Craftsmanship, progress and an unequalled expertise with leather are the founding pillars of the luxury brand, LOEWE.  Recognising that craft, experience and innovation are also at the heart of papermaking excellence, the Spanish-based brand approached James Cropper to fashion a suede-effect paper for its product packaging.  LOEWE was looking to create statement packaging, that paired functionality with an incredible tactile softness, to emulate the look and feel of its world renowned range of leather goods. The result of the collaboration between the two companies, each with 170 years of business success, was Carvetian Suede.

Susan Wilson, Luxury Packaging Director, said: “We are always striving to create new and innovative papers to meet the demand for high quality, luxury products. Carvetian Suede offers people in the design and packaging industries something that exudes opulence. The product has great foundations, a base paper designed specifically to meld with the soft-touch surface to create a suede paper of the highest quality. In addition we use a high percentage of recycled fibres so it’s very eco-friendly, making it all the more appealing to our clients by helping them achieve their sustainability objectives.” 

suede paper2

Following on from the success of the 2013 packaging launch for LOEWE, Carvetian Suede is now available to international buyers and presents an opportunity not only to create luxurious packaging but creative print and advertising materials with a wonderful tactile feel.

The product has been employed in a variety of uses since its inception. In 2013 a sculpture of a dog in a stylish Carvetian Suede coat was presented at the Gerald and James exhibition in New York.

From 21 – 23 October 2015, visitors to the prestigious Luxe Pack event at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco will also have the opportunity to discover Carvetian Suede for themselves.  The product has been selected for display in the Luxe Pack Arena, a space dedicated for leading product developments, and can also be found on the James Cropper stand, DB9.

Carvetian Suede is produced using a minimum of 40 per cent recycled, post consumer fibres making it an environmentally-friendly choice.

Available in a range of four natural colours, Carvetian Suede takes its name from the Carvetii, Iron Age settlers in the North of England, reflecting the roots of James Cropper’s heritage. 

ABOUT JAMES CROPPER & TECHNICAL FIBRE PRODUCTS (TFP):

James Cropper are prestige paper innovators based in the English Lake District, supplying distinct, custom-made paper products to many of the world’s leading luxury brands, art galleries and designers. Celebrating 170 years of high quality paper production in 2015, the business has been carefully stewarded and nurtured by six generations of the Cropper family and is renowned globally for individual expertise in colour, dedicated responses to the most challenging custom projects and award-winning commitment to the highest standards of sustainability.

A network of global sales and production facilities from Europe to the Far East provides local customer service to international clients, while its historic base in the village of Burneside retains nearly two centuries worth of papermaking expertise.

As well as paper products, James Cropper PLC also incorporates Technical Fibre Products (TFP), manufacturers of non-woven materials from carbon, glass and polymer fibres, which play a key part in production of composites in the automotive, energy and aerospace sectors. For further information visit: www.jamescropper.com  and www.tfpglobal.com

Published in European News
Tagged under
Tuesday, 22 September 2015 10:15

YSL Exhibition Unfurled

Paper replaces walls in the innovative installation of landmark Style is Eternal show celebrating the work of fashion designer, Yves Saint Laurent.

2015 09 22 101436

Where most exhibitions are constructed of wood panels and metal nails, part of the remarkable exhibition of Yves Saint Laurent’s work and life at The Bowes Museum, County Durham has been intricately dressed with paper. As if walking into the designer’s sketch books, a room designed by Paris’ agence NC, Nathalie Crinière has taken stock from British master papermakers, James Cropper Paper and formed an immersive, paper-based appreciation of Saint Laurent’s creative process.

Yves Saint Laurent: Style is Eternal, the first exhibition in the UK to show a comprehensive display of the French designer’s work is dominated by paper, from initial sketches to specification forms and the patterns for his famous final designs. Understanding that paper is riven through the creative process, Agence NC designer Nathalie Crinière and installation company, North Exhibition Services set about to ensure the natural look of paper was dominant as a backdrop to the exhibition experience. A white cube of pristine white paper cocoons a range of Saint Laurent’s earliest creations in trademark monochrome fabrics, making good use of The Bowes Museum’s high ceilings with a dramatic drop of uninterrupted, five to six metre sheets.

Unaware as to how the paper would respond directly from rolls, or precisely how to match paper elements with other parts in glass and steel, the versatility of the stock soon became an advantage as complex cuts were made with only blades and scissors. The sense of understatement is emboldened by the texture of the 120gsm paper, which curls naturally at the foot of each hung sheet, evoking the gnarled edges of a well-worn notebook or the flick of a lavish evening dress. A slight movement in the paper as large numbers of visitors pass through the space adds an unexpected, sensuous sense of animation.

2015 09 22 101404

Specialists in black papers, James Cropper supplied a deep natural black paper in 120gsm to carry white text as information panels to guide viewers through the chronology of Saint Laurent’s career, instead of more standard exhibition installations that see vinyl lettering applied directly to walls or foamboard mounts. The effect is striking, yet in keeping with the exhibition’s understated style.

Doug Lamond, Founding Director of North Exhibition Services, said: “This was a first for us being asked to use paper to create the backdrop for an exhibition on this scale. It was a challenge in the sense that it was an unknown how the paper would behave straight off a roll. We needn’t have been worried as the paper worked very well as a backdrop for the show for many reasons, including its natural texture, weight and starkness of the white print on black. I would certainly recommend it as a finish whenever the aesthetic calls for it and on the scale we have just delivered, it has a great impact while being understated and subtle.”

James Cropper Paper, which supplies many of the world’s leading luxury brands with custom papers for their packaging requirements, also featured in the VIP launch invitation (Vanguard White, 620gsm and envelope in Vanguard Dark Grey), promotional print materials for the exhibition (Vanguard Silver Grey, 160gsm) and within the pages of the stunning 120 page catalogue (Vanguard Silver Grey, 120gsm and Vanguard Silver Grey, 300gsm), resplendent in a foiled and embossed cover and hand-finished binding.

Yves Saint Laurent: Style is Eternal, presented by The Bowes Museum and the Fondation Pierre Bergé - Yves Saint Laurent runs at The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, Teesdale, County Durham until Sunday 25 October 2015.

ABOUT JAMES CROPPER & TECHNICAL FIBRE PRODUCTS (TFP):

James Cropper are prestige paper innovators based in the English Lake District, supplying distinct, custom-made paper products to many of the world’s leading luxury brands, art galleries and designers. A proud sponsor of artists and exhibitions including events at Frieze Masters and NYCxDesign, James Cropper Paper is committed to supporting creativity. Celebrating 170 years of high quality paper production in 2015, the business has been carefully stewarded and nurtured by six generations of the Cropper family and is renowned globally for individual expertise in colour, dedicated responses to the most challenging custom projects and award-winning commitment to the highest standards of sustainability.

A network of global sales and production facilities from Europe to the Far East provides local customer service to international clients, while its historic base in the village of Burneside retains nearly two centuries worth of paper making expertise.

In supporting Yves Saint Laurent: Style Is Eternal, James Cropper reflects on the strong link between paper and design, with Saint Laurent himself expressing early creativity in the meticulous execution of handcrafted paper dolls. The company’s paper plays a role as a backdrop to the exhibition itself with small reels of white paper, specially cut to length, hanging in the ‘Glass Cube’ and reels of a black board printed to create a timeline along the entire length of the gallery. Uncoated papers in classic white and grey shades from the Vanguard collection feature as VIP invitations, sections within the Yves Saint Laurent book and also the exhibition guide.

As well as paper products, James Cropper PLC also incorporates Technical Fibre Products (TFP), manufacturers of non-woven materials from carbon, glass and polymer fibres, which play a key part in production of composites in the automotive, energy and aerospace sectors. For further information visit: www.jamescropper.com and www.tfpglobal.com

About the Fondation Pierre Bergé - Yves Saint Laurent

The Fondation Pierre Bergé - Yves Saint Laurent, which opened in 2004 in the former Yves Saint Laurent couture house on 5 Avenue Marceau, Paris, is founded on 40 years of creativity. Recognised as a public organisation, it has three missions:

  • The rigorous museological conservation of a unique heritage comprising five thousand haute couture garments and fifteen thousand accessories, as well as thousands of sketches, collection boards, photographs, and objects;
  • The organization of exhibitions, in both the refurbished spaces at 5 Avenue Marceau and museums around the world, promoting Yves Saint Laurent’s work.
  • The support of cultural institutions encouraging the contemporary arts.

About The Bowes Museum

The Bowes Museum was created over 100 years ago by John and Joséphine Bowes.  Together they built up the greatest private collection of European fine and decorative arts in the North of England and constructed a magnificent French chateau in 17th century style, to house them in. The collection contains thousands of predominantly French objects including furniture, paintings, sculpture, ceramics, textiles and many other items covering an extensive range of European styles and periods.

For much of their lives John and Joséphine Bowes lived in Paris. Josephine was formerly an actress and performed in theThéâtre des Variétés, which John Bowes subsequently purchased.

The Bowes Museum has an internationally renowned exhibition programme. Recent exhibitions have included Tim Walker: Dreamscapes; Henry Poole Founder of Savile Row; and Stephen Jones ‘From Georgiana to Boy George’.  Current exhibitions are ‘Birds of Paradise –

Plumes and Feathers in Fashion’ initiated by MoMu Fashion Museum, Antwerp, and ‘Julian Opie Collected Works’, which presents works by and inspirations for the contemporary artist.

The Bowes Museum is located in Barnard Castle, County Durham and is open daily from 10.00am – 5.00pm

www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk

About Yves Saint Laurent

Yves Saint Laurent was born on 1st August 1936 in Oran, Algeria, where he spent all his youth. In 1955, after a period at theChambre syndicale de la haute couture in Paris, he was introduced by Michel de Brunhoff, then director of ParisVogue, to Christian Dior, who immediately took him on as his assistant. When Dior died in 1957, Yves Saint Laurent became artistic director of the House of Dior. His first collection, the «Trapèze» collection, presented in January 1958, was an immense success. Called up to do his military service and hospitalised at the Val de Grâce, he was dismissed by the House of Dior in 1960.

In association with Pierre Bergé, whom he had met in 1958, Yves Saint Laurent decided to create his own couture house and his first collection was presented on 29th January 1962 at 30 bis rue Spontini in Paris. They remained there for 12 years during which Yves Saint Laurent invented the modern woman’s wardrobe.

From the end of the 1950s and throughout his career Yves Saint Laurent created costumes for theatre, ballet and cinema. He collaborated with Roland Petit, Claude Régy, Jean-Louis Barrault, Luis Buñuel, François Truffaut... and dressed Jean Marais, Zizi Jeanmaire, Arletty, Jeanne Moreau, Isabelle Adjani and Catherine Deneuve, who became a long-standing close friend.

As early as 1965 Yves Saint Laurent paid tribute to artists in his haute couture collections with the famous Mondrian dresses, then in 1966 with the pop art dresses and in 1967 with his major homage to African primitive art. Yves Saint Laurent would travel to Marrakech for a fortnight on 1st December and 1st June of each year in order to design his haute couture collections. Morocco, a country he discovered in 1966, was to have a major influence on his work and his colours, as did all his  travels: Japan, India, Russia, China and Spain all provided sources of inspiration for his collections. In 1974, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé moved the couture house to 5, avenue Marceau in Paris, where the former would assert his style.

In 1983 the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted a retrospective exhibition to the couturier “Yves Saint Laurent 25 years of design”. It was the first time that a living fashion designer had received such an accolade there. Large-scale exhibitions were subsequently held in Beijing, Moscow, Tokyo and, of course, Paris, at the Musée des Arts de la mode, in 1986.

In 1998 Yves Saint Laurent dressed 300 models who appeared on the pitch of the Stade de France for the final match of the FIFA World Cup.

On 7th January 2002 he announced at a press conference that he was ending his career. On 22nd January of the same year, at the Centre Georges Pompidou, a retrospective show went back over 40 years of creation with over 300 models including his last Spring-Summer 2002 collection.

On 10th March 2004, the Fondation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent opened to the public with an exhibition entitled Yves Saint Laurent -Dialogue avec l’Art, which then travelled to the Caixa Galicia Foundation in Spain in 2007. The Yves Saint Laurent Style exhibition was presented in 2008 at the Fine Arts Museum of Montreal, and then at San Francisco’s de Young Museum.

On 1st June 2008, Yves Saint Laurent passed away at his Paris home in his seventy second year.

In 2010, the Fondation organised a major retrospective of Yves Saint Laurent’s work at the Petit Palais in Paris, which travelled to the MAPFRE Foundation in Madrid (2011) and the Denver Art Museum (2012). In 2013, a new exhibition project, Yves Saint Laurent, a visionary, was presented at the ING Cultural Center in Brussels.

Published in European News
Wednesday, 16 September 2015 09:44

170 Papers for 170 Years

James Cropper Paper shows at Luxury Packaging to celebrate a landmark anniversary with the paper and packaging industry.

A wall of paper will greet visitors to the James Cropper Paper stand at this year’s Luxury Packaging event, taking place on Wed 16 – Thu 17 September 2015 at Olympia, London. With 170 die-cut samples available to take away in myriad colours and finishes to mark the British Master Papermaker’s 170 years in business at their Lake District mill.

2015 09 16 093346

As future-facing as ever, the company will also use the event as the opportunity to inspire visitors with a unique world of individual and distinct papers for packaging.   The business focus is on premium and uncoated papermaking that is unrivalled in terms of quality, versatility, sustainability and service.

The wall of coloured paper that provides a dramatic backdrop to the exhibition stand and anniversary celebrations will be made of hundreds of die cut samples, presented in a hexagonal shape that symbolises six generations of the Cropper family at the helm of the company, which was established in the Lake District in 1845. 

Chris Brown, Commercial Director of James Cropper PLC, said: “170 years of paper making in our historic home has meant overcoming the challenges of war, economic instability and increased global competition, as well as anticipating the opportunities found in new technologies. We have been ahead of those changes and had the chance to enhance sustainability, efficiency and innovation to become the successful company we are today. We are proud to celebrate 170 years with business partners and friends during Luxury Packaging 2015 and share with them our next wave of high-quality products.”

In addition, James Cropper Paper will introduce two new papers specifically designed to enrich the broadest possible range of printing outcomes - Porcelain, a pure white product that provides the crispest and smoothest of blank canvases for designers and Elation, a high-grade and versatile felt-marked paper available in 8 classic colours. Existing ranges, Comet with its shimmering pearlescent finish and the pastel tones of Lorenzo parchment will also be present at Luxury Packaging Innovations in new variants.

About Technical Fibre Products and James Cropper plc:

About Technical Fibre Products:

Technical Fibre Products (TFP) is a leading nonwoven manufacturer, offering a broad choice of high quality, technically advanced nonwovens for an array of challenging applications across industries ranging from aerospace and defence to automotive, energy, industrial, construction and healthcare. TFP is part of James Cropper plc and continues the group's 169 year tradition of building highly effective collaborative relationships with customers, enabling the development of custom material solutions to meet unique performance, process and aesthetic requirements.

About James Cropper plc:

James Cropper is based in the Lake District, England’s foremost National Park, with a paper-making heritage that started in 1845. Since its inception the business has been carefully stewarded and nurtured by six generations of the Cropper family.

Today the business is renowned globally for its luxury packaging papers, which accompany many of the world’s most exclusive brands, while the world’s leading artists, galleries and museums use its framing and archival boards alongside its range of conventional artists materials.  As well as paper products, James Cropper also manufactures nonwovens from carbon, glass and polymer fibres, which play a key part in production of composites in the automotive, energy and aerospace sectors.

To find out more about the innovative production methods, product range, responsible manufacturing principles and history of Technical Fibre Products and James Cropper, please visit www.tfpglobal.com and www.jamescropper.com.

Published in European News

A creative process often starts with a white piece of paper, sketched on and discarded. But, what happens when you ask a group of artists to make white paper the beginning, middle and end of a creative project? Redefining Paper, initiated by James Cropper Paper, challenged eight creatives to separately explore the potential of white paper, with surprising results.

In all, the white paper has remained pure, no more so than the minimalist, ‘unroll and hang’, customisable wall clock from Leeds-based duo, Rosanna and Clint,its simplicity being a willing and brilliant surrender to the understated grandeur of the material itself. The limits of the paper are pushed in the opposite direction by Manchester contemporary jeweller, Megan Ocheduszko, whose tight spinning of a length of paper forms a wearable necklace, alongside robust, durable rings. The responses say as much about the creative mind’s response to a stark, blank canvas, as it does about the resilience and versatility of the material at hand.

Supplied with a limited amount of Porcelain, a high-quality, smooth white paper made from virgin pulp by the British master papermakers, the hand-picked creatives were given freedom to explore its material properties. The only rules were to resist colouring the paper with dyes and avoid degrading it, such as by soaking in liquid.  By early-summer this year, the creatives had returned with the results, showing that the simplest ideas can do most justice to the simplest of materials.

Manchester’s rising architectural protégé, James Donegan brings digital brilliance and a steady hand with his modular sculpture of hundreds of separate, unglued components. A contemporary paper pendant lampshade from London’s Laura Nelson uses incisions more often found in metal work to subtly alter the paper in unforeseen ways. From Daniel Reed’s ethereal soundscape to Daniel Hoolahan’s laboriously cut, layered vase made from over 400 individual paper rings to Thomas Mills’ ceiling sculpture and James Condon’s mesmerising animation, the ideas and executions have demonstrated that there remains much inspiration to be found in white paper.

Chris Brown, Commercial Director for James Cropper Paper, says: “We overlook the versatility of white paper at our peril; it’s the ultimate blank canvas. In engaging with creative collaborators to work with one of our most versatile and immaculate papers, Porcelain, our intention was to prove that you can achieve previously unthinkable results with something so often taken for granted. The results speak for themselves, summing up our collective appreciation for the potential of an agile, creative mind and a simple sheet of white paper.”

Redefining Paper has been initiated as part of James Cropper Paper’s ongoing support for leading creative talent, which has included Steve Messam’s PaperBridge, a bridge made entirely of paper spanning a Lake District river earlier in 2015, and the internationally-renowned Gerald Exhibition at NYC x Design in 2012. Each of the creatives will be in line for selection as a standout ‘Chairman’s Choice’ piece by James Cropper’s sixth generation Chairman, Mark Cropper, and considered for further collaborations with the British manufacturer.

2015 09 16 093418

James Donegan, Architect

Helix

Digitally designed and hand built, Helix is a prototype of a sculptural form designed to fill gallery spaces. The modular construction involves hundreds of laser etched components, held together by intricate, precise interlocking cuts.

James says: “The process of making paper involves taking a highly structured, organic material and reducing it to a two dimensional blank space upon which one can easily express one’s ideas. The project realises this complexity and attempts to return the structural properties of the material from which it was derived. Through the uses of parametric design and digital manufacturing techniques the structure has been created without the use of any other material, fixings or adhesives.”

Dan Hoolahan, Product Designer

www.danhoolahan.co.uk

2015 09 16 093511Porcelain Vase

Subtly colouring the paper through the heat of laser cutting, Hoolahan stretches the brief at the same time as directly referencing the name of the paper, Porcelain, in the form of a vase made of hundreds of glued rings.

Dan says: “I immediately wanted my piece to reflect the name of the paper range, Porcelain. Porcelain being commonly associated with ceramics such as bowls and vases it felt natural to play on this theme. Using a laser cutter, my sheet of paper was cut into rings of varying sizes. 449 of these rings, including closed pieces for the base, were then glued together in no particular order to create a structure.”

2015 09 16 093435

Laura Nelson, Product Designer

www.lauranelson.co.uk

Burneside Shade

Seemingly effortless, yet painstakingly crafted, Nelson has created a highly desirable shade that, in any other material, would appear industrial and cold, yet in paper appears serene as light diffuses through its precise lines and clean cuts.

Laura says: “The Burneside Shade exploits the durability and structural properties of the paper through three-dimensional design. I have chosen a lampshade, as it demonstrates structural properties of the paper and manipulates light in different ways through simple cutting and folding techniques. Two lampshades can be produced from one sheet of 640mm x 900mm paper.”

Rosanna and Clint, Designers

www.rosannaandclint.com

2015 09 16 093455Kairos

A product of show-stopping potential as a mass-marketable household item or corporate gift. The paper has barely changed save for a few strategic cuts, all made by hand for prototyping, and yet the raw material has been transformed. Kairos remains a piece of paper as pure as the moment it was made, living a double life as an irrepressibly stylish and customisable home or office accessory.

Rosanna says:Our initial interpretation of the brief was the importance for the paper’s original characteristics to remain in the finished piece, aiming to do only what was necessary to transform the single sheet of paper. After some exploration and experimentation we liked the idea of creating a timepiece. The opportunity to create an object with such functional purpose is something that excites us in the studio.”

The full range of works included in Redefining Paper can be seen at www.redefiningpaper.com and information about James Cropper Paper at www.jamescropperpaper.com

ABOUT JAMES CROPPER & TECHNICAL FIBRE PRODUCTS (TFP):

James Cropper are prestige paper innovators based in the English Lake District, supplying distinct, custom-made paper products to many of the world’s leading luxury brands, art galleries and designers. A proud sponsor of artists and exhibitions including events at Frieze Masters and NYCxDesign, James Cropper Paper is committed to supporting creativity. Celebrating 170 years of high quality paper production in 2015, the business has been carefully stewarded and nurtured by six generations of the Cropper family and is renowned globally for individual expertise in colour, dedicated responses to the most challenging custom projects and award-winning commitment to the highest standards of sustainability.

A network of global sales and production facilities from Europe to the Far East provides local customer service to international clients, while its historic base in the village of Burneside retains nearly two centuries worth of paper making expertise.

As well as paper products, James Cropper PLC also incorporates Technical Fibre Products (TFP), manufacturers of non-woven materials from carbon, glass and polymer fibres, which play a key part in production of composites in the automotive, energy and aerospace sectors. For further information visit: www.jamescropper.com and www.tfpglobal.com

Published in European News

A stark vision in red, set against the verdant greens of the Helvellyn peak in the Lake District, a bridge made entirely from paper takes its place in the British countryside to defy both belief and gravity.

20,000 sheets of poppy red paper and 4 tonnes of stone drawn from the river bed are all that environmental artist; Steve Messam is using to create PaperBridge, a stunning intervention into one of Britain’s most dramatic landscapes.  This remarkable, weight-bearing paper bridge, resplendent in red, will straddle a flowing waterway in the beautiful Lake District as part of Lakes Ignite from Friday 8 May 2015.

PaperBridge Cumbria Lo1

Using traditional stone bridge building methods, starting with stone-filled cages to root the structure to the ground at either side of the river, before using an innovative wooden form to shape the arc of the paper, Messam uses no adhesives or fixings to keep the paper in place. The design of the form comes courtesy of Peter Foskett, formerly of the renowned Pentagram design agency, who has designed it to be raised fractionally towards the end of the construction to ensure a smooth, compact arch as the final sheets of paper are inserted.

Supplied by one of Britain’s oldest and locally based paper manufacturers, James Cropper, the paper is more commonly found in packaging for luxury brands than in the construction of all-weather, rural bridges. The challenge of ensuring it stands up to all elements, from the weather to curious animals, has not been lost on the artist, who has been careful to ensure that the environmental impact of the installation is close to zero, by selecting colour-fast papers and using stone found only on or near to the site itself.

Steve Messam says: “PaperBridge relies on vernacular architectural principles as used in the drystone walls and the original pack-horse bridges that dot the Lake District, using gravity and the pressure between the sheets of paper to form a strong structure. These have stood, in many cases, for more than a century so the principles of its design ensure it is strong enough to take the weight of people and local livestock if they become curious. None of the red colour will run into the water or surrounding earth and the paper will comfortably stand up to expected weather conditions.”

Anticipated to confuse and delight walkers who encounter it for around ten days, the installation is one of a series of temporary cultural installations set to appear in the Lake District National Park through 2015, commissioned by Lakes Culture. Sited at a stream above Patterdale in Cumbria, the location is deliberately remote, ensuring that visitors can enjoy it in peace and consider the contrast of the construction to the unspoilt, natural setting.

Usha Mistry, Project Manager for Lakes Culture, says:‘’PaperBridge is a unique large-scale temporary installation made entirely from bright red paper traversing a flowing river in the iconic Lake District landscape as part of ‘Lakes Ignite’, Lakes Culture’s showcase spring arts programme. As part of the programme Lakes Culture, working alongside some of the region’s key arts organisations, has commissioned a number of unique art pieces: Harmonica Botanica, Point To Point, Take Me Back to Manchester film, as well as PaperBridge. This is part of a pro-active project that demonstrates how this unique area has resonated with artists in the past and continues to inspire makers and performers working across a vast array of art forms, firmly emphasising the Lake District’s important role within the UK’s rich cultural life.’’

The PaperBridge concept has been in development for a number of years, but the organisation of the paper sheets to form the bridge takes just a matter of hours once initial onsite preparations have been made. A short period of testing makes the bridge sound for intrepid visitors to take their first steps over a river on nothing but paper. Once the installation has come to its end, the paper will return to James Cropper Paper in nearby Burneside, Kendal for recycling.

Chris Brown, Commercial Director for James Cropper Paper comments: “Paper has so many surprising qualities and uses, but PaperBridge takes the sheer weight of our product and lets nature do the rest. It’s a brilliantly simple idea that takes real ingenuity to pull off, so all credit to the artist in achieving what appears to be the impossible. The choice of colour, a stark red that won’t run into the water beneath, is an inspired choice and we’re very pleased that the paper will return to us to be recycled to support inspirational projects for other artists or designers.”

To find out more about art and culture in the Lake District, Cumbria or about ‘Lakes Ignite’ please visit www.lakesculture.co.uk and https://twitter.com/LakesCulture

To find out more about the work of the environmental artist, Steve Messam, and to follow project updates please visit www.stevemessam.co.uk/paperbridge and www.twitter.com/rougeit

To find out more about James Cropper Paper and the art and design projects they support, please visit: www.jamescropper.com

ABOUT LAKES CULTURE/LAKES IGNITE

  • Lakes Culture aims to bring together the area’s tourism and cultural sectors to better promote the wealth of cultural activities on offer reaffirming the area as the UK’s leading rural cultural destination.
  • The Lake District is one of only ten locations in the country to benefit from Cultural Destinations initiative a focused programme set up by Arts Council England and VisitEngland. The aim of Cultural destinations is to enable arts and culture organisations working in partnership with destination organisations to increase their reach, engagement and resilience through working with the tourism sector. Closer working between the two sectors will contribute to the economic growth of the cultural and tourism visitor economies.
  • Organisations involved in the project include Kendal Brewery Arts Centre (Lead Organisation), Lakeland Arts, Kendal Arts International, Wordsworth Trust, Theatre by the Lake, The Forestry Commission - Grizedale, Cumbria Tourism, The National Trust, Lake District National Park and South Lakeland District Council.
  • The Lakes Culture project will also form a supporting strand of the World Heritage Status bid to be submitted by the Lake District National Park and partners.

 ABOUT JAMES CROPPER & TECHNICAL FIBRE PRODUCTS (TFP):

James Cropper is based in the Lake District, England’s first and foremost National Park, with a paper-making heritage that started in 1845. Since its inception the business has been carefully stewarded and nurtured by six generations of the Cropper family.

Today the business is renowned globally for its luxury packaging papers, which accompany many of the world’s most exclusive brands, while the world’s leading artists, galleries and museums use its framing and archival boards alongside its range of conventional artists materials.  As well as paper products, James Cropper also manufactures nonwovens from carbon, glass and polymer fibres, which play a key part in production of composites in the automotive, energy and aerospace sectors.

Technical Fibre Products (TFP) is a leading nonwoven manufacturer, offering a broad range of high quality, technically advanced nonwovens which can be customised to meet specific application requirements. Established nearly 30 years ago, TFP primarily operates within the automotive, and aerospace composite markets while also providing effective solutions in the defence, energy, consumer electronics, industrial, construction and healthcare markets. Utilising extensive materials knowledge within polymers, particulates & speciality fibres together with high specification lamination, metal fibre coating and converting capabilities, TFP provide a wide range of customised solutions.

Published in European News

The launch exhibition for Manchester’s newly re-opened and revamped Whitworth art gallery caused a stampede of visitors, but few were to know that James Cropper’s paper lies at the heart of Cornelia Parker’s stunning War Room installation.

2015-02-27 080620

Thousands of punched sheets of James Cropper’s custom-made, red poppy paper now hangs in the most unusual of places - the newly reopened Whitworth art gallery in Manchester. Usually sent for recycling, the vast sheets of paper left with poppy-shaped holes now feature at the heart of internationally renowned artist, Cornelia Parker’s solo exhibition.

A reported 18,000 people passed through the gallery’s doors on its opening weekend, reacting to the international media attention gained by the opening. Many of these visitors took their time to walk into War Room, the immersive installation that sees an entire room bedecked with paper reclaimed from the Aylesford poppy factory. Simply left with the poignant outline of the missing poppy, hung from floor to ceiling and overhead, Parker’s exceptionally well-received, emotionally charged tribute to fallen soldiers asks a literal question: where have all the flowers gone?

The poppy paper is made to exacting standards by James Cropper Paper, especially made to match the colour of the real flower and made to be rub and run resistant to protect clothing. The manufacturer supplies 250km of the paper to the Poppy Factory every year.

2015-02-27 080715

The artist likens the intended experience of her installation to that of the op-artists of the 1960s, which saw the likes of Bridget Riley manipulate traditional art techniques to create optical illusions. A ‘walk-in’ piece, visitors are surrounded by with the industrial, rhythmic pattern pressed out of the paper. The breath-taking use of an otherwise wasted material has caused equal pride and intrigue amongst staff at the Cumbrian paper mill.

Phil Wild, CEO of James Cropper, comments: “James Cropper supplies the red poppy paper to the Royal British Legion, and support and respect the fantastic job that they do for past and present veterans and their families.  It is really interesting to see thought provoking art and narrative illuminating the effects of war. In re-using the remnants from poppy production to create War Room, Cornelia Parker poignantly reminds us of all the holes in our lives left behind by those who have been lost in conflict.

Cornelia Parker, famed for her use of found and overlooked materials, presents War Room as part of an exhibition of new commissions and retrospective installations at The Whitworth until Sunday 31 May 2015.

ABOUT JAMES CROPPER & TECHNICAL FIBRE PRODUCTS (TFP): 
James Cropper is based in the Lake District, England’s first and foremost National Park, with a paper-making heritage that started in 1845. Since its inception the business has been carefully stewarded and nurtured by six generations of the Cropper family.
Today the business is renowned globally for its luxury packaging papers, which accompany many of the world’s most exclusive brands, while the world’s leading artists, galleries and museums use its framing and archival boards alongside its range of conventional artists materials.  As well as paper products, James Cropper also manufactures nonwovens from carbon, glass and polymer fibres, which play a key part in production of composites in the automotive, energy and aerospace sectors.
Technical Fibre Products (TFP) is a leading nonwoven manufacturer, offering a broad range of high quality, technically advanced nonwovens which can be customised to meet specific application requirements. Established nearly 30 years ago, TFP primarily operates within the automotive, and aerospace composite markets while also providing effective solutions in the defence, energy, consumer electronics, industrial, construction and healthcare markets. Utilising extensive materials knowledge within polymers, particulates & speciality fibres together with high specification lamination, metal fibre coating and converting capabilities, TFP provide a wide range of customised solutions.
To find out more about the innovative production methods, product range, responsible manufacturing principles and history of James Cropper and Technical Fibre Products, please visit www.jamescropper.com and www.tfpglobal.com
Published in European News
Page 4 of 5