• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

2

'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health

3

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says electricians and plumbers will be needed by the hundreds of thousands in the new working world

1

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

2

'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health

3

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says electricians and plumbers will be needed by the hundreds of thousands in the new working world
Techprinters

This Machine Could Mean Never Running Out of Printer Paper Again

By
TIME
TIME
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
TIME
TIME
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 4, 2015, 2:07 PM ET
The Epson PaperLab
The Epson PaperLabCourtesy Epson
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

By John Patrick Pullen

There are few things more frustrating than walking over to the office printer, only to discover it spat out a bunch of blank pages. But with Epson’s newest product, the PaperLab office paper-making system, that’s the entire idea.

About the size of two ATMs, PaperLab takes used printer paper and creates fresh, new sheets at a rate of up to 14 A4-sized pages per minute. That’s equal to 6,720 sheets (or more than a case of paper) over an 8-hour workday. How fast is that? By comparison, Epson’s Workforce Pro printer, another eco-friendly device designed for high-volume business printing, outputs 20 pages per minute — but those sheets have ink all over them.

The machine works by turning used pages back into long, thin, cottony fibers. Those fibers are then reassembled into paper using binding agents. Depending on the binders used, the recycled paper can be different colors (including white, obviously), have varying strengths, contain certain fragrances, and even be flame resistant. Once the fibers are bound, pressure forming creates the page, and allows it to have various density, thickness, and sizes.

Epson is also billing the PaperLab as “the world’s first production system using a dry process.” But while it does require some water, it’s only an amount small enough to maintain a specific humidity level within the machine — so no extra plumbing is necessary.

This product from Epson, which has been making electronic printers since the early 1960s, could have huge ramifications for businesses. On the face of it, recycling paper in-house is potentially more cost-effective than constantly re-ordering stock for the supply closet — which, admittedly, this hulking machine would probably fill up, anyway. And from a security and privacy standpoint, PaperLab a great way to ensure a company’s private, printed data isn’t floating around out in the world.

But PaperLab could also be good for the environment. The device stands to reduce carbon emissions by cutting down the need for paper-hauling trucks, which drive from offices to collection centers, to recycling facilities, to stores and warehouses, and then back to offices.

Still, PaperLab isn’t available to the public just yet. Epson will be showing off a prototype at Eco-Products 2015, an annual convention being held next week in Tokyo. But the plan is to put the machine into production in Japan next year, with other countries getting systems at a later date. Here’s hoping that no one accidentally recycles those plans in the PaperLab.

About the Author
By TIME
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Patricia Camden is EY Studio+ Customer Experience and Loyalty Leader
CommentaryConsulting
EY: we found your biggest AI blind spot. It’s called the ‘tempo gap’
By Patricia Camden and John DuboisJune 20, 2026
21 hours ago
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 11: Marques Colston #12 of the New Orleans Saints stands on the field before a football game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on October 11, 2015 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
InvestingSports
A Saints legend is selling fans a piece of professional sports for $500
By Eva RoytburgJune 20, 2026
21 hours ago
Photo of Jensen Huang
SuccessCareers
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says electricians and plumbers will be needed by the hundreds of thousands in the new working world
By Preston ForeJune 20, 2026
21 hours ago
p
CommentaryInternet
GoDaddy Corporate Domains chief: The next Internet land rush is happening right now
By Phil LodicoJune 20, 2026
21 hours ago
Executive pay climbed again in 2025—and the CEO-to-worker gap kept widening
C-SuiteElon Musk
Executive pay climbed again in 2025—and the CEO-to-worker gap kept widening
By Catherina GioinoJune 20, 2026
23 hours ago
Why odds of SpaceX merger with Tesla keep climbing every time the stock shoots up
Big TechSpaceX
Why odds of SpaceX merger with Tesla keep climbing every time the stock shoots up
By Shawn TullyJune 20, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
Environment
Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
By Sydney LakeJune 19, 2026
2 days ago
'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health
Health
'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health
By Ali Swenson, Amelia Thomson-Deveaux and The Associated PressJune 20, 2026
15 hours ago
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says electricians and plumbers will be needed by the hundreds of thousands in the new working world
Success
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says electricians and plumbers will be needed by the hundreds of thousands in the new working world
By Preston ForeJune 20, 2026
21 hours ago
The Great Recession’s missing children are finally bringing college’s financial crisis into sight. Welcome to the ‘enrollment volatility’ era
Economy
The Great Recession’s missing children are finally bringing college’s financial crisis into sight. Welcome to the ‘enrollment volatility’ era
By Tristan BoveJune 20, 2026
1 day ago
A new trade war may be brewing. This time, Europe is taking a page from Trump's playbook — 'We no longer live in a world of pink ponies and rainbows'
Economy
A new trade war may be brewing. This time, Europe is taking a page from Trump's playbook — 'We no longer live in a world of pink ponies and rainbows'
By Jason MaJune 20, 2026
11 hours ago
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
Success
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
By Preston ForeJune 17, 2026
4 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.