Paper manufacturing is an ancient craft flourished in Aleppo. Benefiting from the distinct geographical location of Aleppo on the Silk Road between China and Europe, paper makers in Aleppo learned from the Chinese how to use cotton fibers instead of rice straw. This resulted in the establishment of 13 primitive paper plants in AL-WARRAQA (Paper Makers) Quarter, so named after their trade. Today, embodied in the Arab Company for Paper Products, history is repeating itself. ARAPEPCO has made great strides in this industry.