Redeeming invasive plants through paper making, repurposing and art.

Albert Pantone, a fiber artist, uses the most infuriating and invasive plant in the Northeast, Japanese knotweed.

He shows his students how to identify the plant, harvest, cook down, and beat the fibers to a pulp. Finally, students make paper from the processed knotweed pulp. Albert’s classes are for all ages.

Japanese Knotweed, Polygonum cuspidatum, was introduced in the United States as an Asian landscape ornamental. It thrives in sunny, moist areas such as riverbanks but has quickly adapted to roadsides, vacant lots, brownfield sites, and public spaces. This non-native invasive has taken a stronghold over many regions of the United States and other countries. If left unattended, Japanese knotweed will continue to outcompete native plant species, completely altering our local ecosystems.