5 ms·
Reused paper tends to be crumpled and warped, especially if you try to feed it through a (laser) printer multiple times. It's more trouble than it's worth, unle
by iwwr 15y ago
Reused paper tends to be crumpled and warped, especially if you try to feed it through a (laser) printer multiple times. It's more trouble than it's worth, unless they make printers that can handle less-than-perfect paper.
- wpietri 15y agoIf you'll just use a sheet of paper once, then there's only so much it makes sense to pay for it. But what if you'll be reusing it 20 times? Perhaps there's an opportunity there. Kind of like how paper plates are generally flimsy, but normal plates are very durable.
- mc32 15y agoI think you're right. Something like banknote paper --maybe not the same, but in that direction. In some places, I've heard, banknotes are steamed and pressed as they are recirculated, so they look like new.
- peeters 15y agoTrue. But there are other trivialities that need to be considered. The first thing I do when I've got 5+ pages is either hole punch or staple them. The second thing I do is scribble on it or highlight things. If I wasn't going to do that, I probably wouldn't have printed it out in the first place (unless it was for record-keeping, in which case the paper will probably never be reused anyway). If this becomes popular there will be a new industry around non-destructive paper management (more than our current choice of paper clips and highlighters). But I think the critical factor for success is if the technology development outpaces paper-thin, writable LED displays or even tablets (which have progressed a LOT in the last few years). If you can give your "paper" a WiFi connection is anybody really going to invest in traditional (but reusable) paper?