Portuguese designer Dânia Jorge created a series of handmade postcards from residues generated during wine production. Developed for Will Creative, the postcards combine recycled paper with used filtration plates, grape seeds and wine lees. The studio used them as promotional material at the ProWein wine trade fair in Düsseldorf, Germany.

The concept refers to the tradition of sending postcards from places visited while travelling. It also links the graphic material to the origins and production of wine through its raw materials and manufacturing process.

Paper Made From Wine Residues

Herdade do Monte Branco, a winery in Vendas Novas, Portugal, supplied the production residues. Jorge used three discarded filtration plates from an earlier winemaking process as the main material for the paper. These plates already contained colour from the grapes.

She added grape seeds and wine lees to introduce texture. The lees served as a fixing agent to help retain the grape colour present in the filtration plates. Consequently, the wine residues determine part of the paper’s colour, texture and surface pattern.

The designer produced the recycled paper by hand over three days. The sheets then dried for four days. Cutting them into A6 postcards took a further two days. The manual process resulted in differences between individual sheets.

Laser-Engraved Graphics

The postcards feature laser-engraved graphics instead of conventionally printed images. Jorge selected this technique for its precision and relatively limited material waste compared with some printing methods. Laser engraving also meant that the production process did not require additional printing inks.

The designer collected the residues from Herdade do Monte Branco by public transport. She also travelled by public transport to Fábrica Moderna in Marvila, Lisbon, where the laser engraving took place. These transport choices formed part of the project’s approach to limiting its carbon footprint.

Source & photos: Indústria Criativa / Dânia Jorge