Preparation of Recycled Paper Using Tea Stems and its Application in Product Design

(1) Objective: This study aims to reduce waste and resource usage by utilizing discarded tea stems for producing recycled paper, and to explore its properties and potential in product design. (2) Methods: Tea stem recycled paper was fabricated via a conventional hand-sheet process using varying tea stem-to-pulp ratios, followed by physical property testing and Kansei-based visual-tactile evaluations. (3) Key Findings: Tea stem recycled paper showed comparable whiteness, moisture content, and opacity to commercial recycled papers, with the highest tensile strength at 10% tea stem content (12.3 ± 0.4% higher than Xuan paper). (4) Implications: Based on combined physical and sensory assessments, material-driven design models were proposed, highlighting functional uses for tea stem–pulp composites and aesthetic applications for tea stem-bark composites.