Hi. Welcome to Aflore’s Portafolio de Artesanías. Our supreme leader, Pablo Alejos Flores, started creating these handmade objects when he was learning about books and paper. Here you’ll find some photos and details about his somewhat artistic journey.
Simple Bookbinding
First handmade book
Back in 2024, I created this simple notebook design, inspired by the blue morpho butterfly, while learning how to stitch booklets and folios and how to hardbind books. I used cream paper sheets and recycled boards for this project. I loved the creative process from start to finish, and I have continued making them ever since.
In November 2024, I published a new edition of Sobre vivir (Sobre viver, originally written by Isabela Bosi). This project pushed me to fully formalise Aflore as a business in Peru, allowing me to keep publishing eBooks and handmade books of poetry and fiction.
Professional Bookbinding
Our glorious days
By 2025, I had invested heavily on top-quality materials (texturised, soft papers for fine writing and drawing, alongside bookbinding covers and boards. But I kept using recycled materials like clothes and bond paper.
I began refining advanced casing and stitching techniques, creating limited-edition notebooks and custom-bound physical volumes that feel durable and satisfying to hold.
Who would take care of all these books
Meet our beloved and forever-remembered book guardian, Octavia. Though she has now passed on, she used to accompany us constantly during Aflore’s very beginnings. She was a tiny jumping spider who watched over our early folios with absolute dedication.
Recycling Paper
An exhausting journey
While expanding my bookbinding skills, I realised I needed a very specific, durable paper to use for the flyleaves of my hardbound books. They had to be thick and resistant, so I set out to make them myself at home. At first, it seemed easy. I only required recycled bond paper, a mould and deckle, water, and patience.
However, I immediately discovered how difficult it was to achieve high-quality results. My first finished batch was potentially useful for basic crafts, but sheets tore far too easily and wouldn’t handle standard printing ink. I knew I had to keep practising to master the blend.
Paper Crafts
Finally, when everything seemed perfect. I decided to recycle even more, and this originated Aflore’s artisanal flower pots and vases made of recycled paper and potato starch.
All of these creations were very important to determine our goals as a creative business. For now, we’re focusing on digital products, but hopefully we can soon keep improving our crafting techniques and sell artistic items like these internationally. Thanks for being part of Aflore!