The Fedrigoni Hotel Book: 50 types of paper

When it comes to paper suppliers, resource books rarely hold much aesthetic significance. Practical gateways into a world of paper stocks and technical materials, these booklets are more often than not relegated to the back shelves after their purpose is served. Changing the way the humble reference book is seen, Italian paper company Fedrigoni has teamed up with designers Thomas Manss & Company to produce a creative resource to delight both designers and the hospitality industry.

The Fedrigoni Hotel Book works on a simple concept - to showcase 50 types of paper and their uses through thoughtful illustration. 'We wanted to create an object that is so useful you would want to keep it forever, and to illustrate the endless possibilities that beautiful papers and production techniques can lend themselves to creating that air of luxury.' say design partners Thomas Manss and Enrica Corzani.

Discovering that an average hotel carries about 50 different paper-made products - paper choice being a strong factor in the shaping of its image and subsequently guests' perceptions - Fedrigoni split the book into three categories - guest experience products such as the key card holder, in-room dining menu and guest stationary, packaging for 'stealable' things such as amenity kits and chocolate boxes, and finally hotel management materials, for example wrapping paper, brochures, and business cards.

Manss and Corzani believe the choice of paper gives each item its particular character, and the book demonstrates this in its broad range of production specifications and techniques. 'Think of papers as the materials of a building. If you choose the right materials for your building it will age gracefully. It might even get more beautiful as the years go by. Choose the wrong material and the building will look tatty in no time.'