The story of true paper began in South East Asia. Like the indigenous people of Egypt, the Chinese had, virtually 5000 years ago, invented a style of writing that used images. They also had been making use of various kinds of objects to write on, most commonly strips of bamboo and silk woven into a fine fabric and it is possible that the barkcloth they utilized for other unconnected purposes from the Paper. Mulberry was made use of as well.
Historical documentation tells us that in 105 years after the birth of Christ a member of the government by the name of Tsai Lung, created usable paper, although it is clear from archaeological finds that it was actually being used in China for at least two centuries before Tsai Lung.
During times gone by setting down words was usually done on some form of bamboo or sometimes on pieces of silk, which were then called ji. However, the cost of silk and bamboo being too heavy, these materials were not of great use. Due to this Tsai Lun thought of utilizing tree bark, fish nets, hemp, and rags. In 105AD he put an idea to the emperor with regard to the process of paper manufacture and got many accolades for his thoughts. From this time paper has been availed of all over the world and is called the "paper of Marquis Tsai".
Whether the above historical tag is Tsai's entitlement, will likely never be uncovered! Nevertheless the important factor must be that it was found that if they pounded some compounds derived from plant material in to a mache, displace unwanted materials, float the mache in liquid, sieve it onto fabric sheets and allow it to dry. After drying, it dried into a firm, firm sheet that was remarkably light, and provided that it was not allowed to come into contact with water, proved surprisingly robust.
This simplest of papermaking techniques is even now in use in precisely a similar way in and around Tibet and Nepal, the very first areas to take the craft from what is now the People's Republic of China. A basic frame makes use of a cloth made from cotton pulled and held over one side, very watery paste is emptied into the far end and spread about until it has reached an even state. After which it is left hanging so that it will allow the water to drain out of it and the mush to dry into a sheet of paper which can be removed by peeling.
It eventually came to pass that an extremely clever individual figured that constructing a frame with ribs and placing a fine replaceable bamboo mat over it, would let the process to be quickened to a great degree. Rather than utilizing one mold for each paper sheet, therefore severely restricting the amount of sheets that can be manufactured at the same time, a stack of sieved mash could be built up a layer at a time, with only a length of cotton thread between them to facilitate later separation. The stack would then be pressed gently, and every layer of grume shifted to a dry place.