Rag content Rag content is rare today, and refers to the cotton content of some fine papers. Rag paper is more long lasting than most wood pulp paper. Handmade paper is made from fiber combinations including cotton, linen, hemp, and many natural fibers. Watermark is a wire insignia or mark inset into the paper making screen which shows on the finished paper when held up to the light. It identifies the maker and type.
Grain refers to the orientation of the fibers in the paper.
They lay parallel to the path the paper took coming out of the forming machine. Paper folds easiest along the grain. Each fiber gets fatter. Finding the grain To find the grain, hold the sheet flat on your hand to see how the sheet drapes down more along the grain. The other direction it is stiffer.