Until the early 19th century, paper manufacturing relied almost exclusively on the use of linen, hemp, and cotton rags. These long, flexible, and resistant fibers, derived from recycled textiles, were collected by urban networks of ragpickers, then sorted, fermented, and defibrated in mallet piles. Although this process guaranteed excellent quality paper, it remained slow, costly, and dependent on the availability of used textiles.
However, with the rise of printing, periodicals, and administration, the demand for paper experienced unprecedented growth. This situation led to a structural shortage of rags, described by contemporaries and historians as the “rag crisis,” which profoundly marked the first half of the 19th century. To overcome this impasse, paper manufacturers turned to new cellulose fibers, particularly wood.