With so many choices out there to in which to preserve your cherished photos, picking the right picture frames and photo albums can become a chore. It’s no wonder that so many photos end up stuffed in drawers, left in the envelopes they came in, or abandoned on our hard drives. If you think your photos deserve more than cookie cutter frames and mass produced albums that can be found anywhere, consider a distinctive paper frame or photo album.

While the first impression of paper is usually one of the fragile, tree-destroying kind, many paper frames and albums are anything but flimsy and destructive. They can be a wonderful way to display your photos while preserving and celebrating nature. Frames made of batik, mulberry, and other types of exotic paper are beautiful, sturdy, and eco-friendly as they are usually made from renewable and recycled materials. Quality paper picture frames are always unique; they are created by hand from natural materials with organic variations that provides a distinctive beauty. Frames and albums made from these natural materials are anything but ordinary and are a great way to display your photos.

Paper frames are made using techniques that have existed for thousands of years. Countries like Thailand and Indonesia developed paper making processes that created beautiful results and these techniques are still used today. Various organic materials like bark, leaves, and even flowers comprise these types of hand made paper and are used when making frames and albums, as well as the pages inside. The strong connection to nature offered by the materials and hand made nature of this process attracts many people to the finished product.

Paper for frames and albums is made by first shredding the desired material into small bits and then soaking or boiling the material in water for anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Dye is added if desired and then the material is washed, beaten, and pressed onto a screen where it forms the shape of the desired item. The new paper can be dried in the sun using a machine, or pressed. The results are unique works of art that are perfect for displaying photos.

Paper photo books are made using the same techniques and natural materials. However, an album’s size allows it to possess more embellishments and make more of a statement that that of a paper frame. With more room for decoration you are sure to find a hand crafted paper album as unique as the pictures that will go in it. Picking an album whose outside reflects the pictures on the inside is important, so going with an individually-created paper one will give you the greatest design flexibility.

Items that are made one by one are beautiful, distinctive, and unique. The natural process and materials mean you will receive a one-of-a-kind object to hold and protect your photos if you choose to go with a hand made product. Paper frames and albums are a great way to get your pictures out of drawers and onto your wall. Choosing one means you are helping to preserve the environment, support an artisan, and connect with nature.