French Paper
Artisanal colored papers, hydroelectric paper mill from Michigan since 1871
Philosophy
Family artisanal paper mill since 1871. Six generations, hydroelectric power, mass-colored papers. The glorious anomaly of American paper.
History
Niles, Michigan, 1871. The French family sets up a paper mill on the St. Joseph River. The mill runs on hydroelectric power, the same water that's driven the machines for 150 years.
Six generations later, the Frenches are still at the helm. The mill hasn't moved. Paper is still mass-colored, not surface-printed, dyed at the fiber's core. That's what gives French papers their inimitable color depth.
In the 1990s, Charles S. Anderson Design introduced French Paper to the graphic design world. The most demanding designers and printers adopted the brand. Speckletone, Pop-Tone, Construction papers became references.
A glorious anomaly: a family artisanal paper mill that not only survives the digital age, but thrives. Because paper with character can't be replaced by a PDF.
Iconic Products
Speckletone
The signature speckled paper. Visible recycled fibers in the mass, organic texture, natural colors. The paper designers choose when they want character without artifice. The kind of paper you touch and turn between your fingers. Tactile, alive, imperfect, exactly the opposite of a screen.
Pop-Tone
French Paper's saturated colors. 24 vivid shades, mass-colored, from lemon drop to grape jelly. The paper that makes you smile before you've even read what's printed on it. Business cards, invitations, packaging, Pop-Tone gives personality to everything it touches.
Construction
The raw industrial paper. Recycled fibers, concrete look, cement or kraft color. When designers want to give a project a construction site texture, raw, honest, no frills. The paper that almost smells like fresh concrete. The favorite of architects and packagers who want character without decoration.