It is easy to be confused when discerning archival quality in papers these days. There is now just enough information about paper to make a novice dangerous. One of the main questions about paper that I field is whether a paper is acid free and lignen free. Another is whether a paper is cotton rag. This issue will try to give more information about these and other paper concerns so that you may choose papers to better fit your needs.
Paper is made from cellulose fibers derived from plant sources.
The best papers are made from plant cells that are very high in cellulose. Each fiber has its own shape, size, and structure both before and after processing. An understanding of the type of fiber used is of great value in predicting the behavioral characteristics and life of paper. One of the first fibers that became part of an artist's vocabulary is cotton. Cotton in its natural state is pure cellulose and does not require much preliminary treatment.