THE LAST MILL STANDING: JAMES CROPPER BRINGS PAPER’S STORY TO LIFE AT LONDON PACKAGING WEEK

British master papermaker James Cropper will unveil an immersive stand at London Packaging Week this September, headlined by the premiere of The Last Mill Standing trailer. Celebrating 180 years of craftsmanship, the experience explores paper’s enduring role in creativity, featuring interactive installations and a journey through the artistry behind exceptional materials.

For more than 180 years, James Cropper has been synonymous with the transformation of fibre into some of the world’s most distinctive papers, trusted by luxury brands, designers and printers to bring ambitious ideas to life. This September, the British papermaker invites visitors to London Packaging Week to discover the story behind those materials through an immersive stand experience that celebrates the people, creativity and expertise behind every sheet.  

The centrepiece is the exclusive first public screening of the trailer for The Last Mill Standing, taking place at 1.00pm on Wednesday, 16 September, on Stand H24. The documentary offers a rare glimpse inside the UK’s last remaining specialist coloured paper mill, introducing a story of generations of skill, craftsmanship and innovation. More than a portrait of machinery, it is a celebration of the people whose precision, experience and passion continue to shape materials trusted by leading brands worldwide. The full film will be released later this year.  

At a time when British manufacturing faces rising costs, global competition and shifting market demands, The Last Mill Standing asks what is at stake if specialist knowledge is allowed to disappear. It highlights the human dimension of papermaking, revealing the artistry required to transform fibre into paper that inspires creativity and fuels design.  

Visitors are then invited to continue the journey through interactive installations. The Colours of London encourages guests to capture their own “Colour of London” on a specially designed postcard and post it into the stand’s iconic pillar box. Inspired by the capital’s landmarks, the installation celebrates the memories, places and moments that shape our experience of the city, while reflecting paper’s enduring role in creativity, communication and self-expression.  

Alongside the film and installation, the Paper Portal offers a fresh way to engage with paper, designed to spark curiosity and inspire new ideas. Jordan Scott, Head of Marketing at James Cropper, explained: “People experience paper every day, yet very rarely do they get to see the extraordinary expertise behind it. We wanted to create more than an exhibition stand. We wanted to create a journey that begins with the people who make the material and ends with the ideas those materials make possible.”  

Following the documentary premiere, visitors are invited to join the James Cropper team for drinks and conversation around British manufacturing, material innovation and the enduring role of paper in design, packaging and branding. As thousands of packaging professionals gather in London, James Cropper’s stand promises to be a celebration of craftsmanship, creativity and the people who continue to inspire today’s most ambitious design.