carbon paper (originally carbonic paper) was originally paper coated on one side with a layer of a loosely bound dry ink or pigmented coating, bound with wax, used for making one or more copies simultaneously with the creation of an original document when using a typewriter or a ballpoint pen. the manufacture of carbon paper was formerly the largest consumer of montan wax. in 1954 the columbia ribbon & carbon manufacturing company filed a patent for what became known in the trade as solvent carbon paper: the coating was changed from wax-based to polymer-based. the manufacturing process changed from a hot-melt method to a solvent-applied coating or set of coatings. it was then possible to use polyester or other plastic film as a substrate, instead of paper, although the name remained carbon paper.