EXHIBIT 99.1

FOR RELEASE:                                   CONTACT: KEVIN W. MCALEER
FEBRUARY 11, 1997                                       AMERICAN PAD & PAPER CO.
                                                        (972)733-6244

                                                        RICHARD E. NICOLAZZO
                                                        NICOLAZZO & ASSOCIATES
                                                        (617) 951-0000


           AMERICAN PAD & PAPER COMPLETES SHADE-ALLIED ACQUISITION,
                  ADDS MACHINE PAPERS AS FOURTH PRODUCT LINE

DALLAS, TX  --  American Pad & Paper Co. (NYSE: AGP), a $600 million
manufacturer of paper-based office products, today announced the completion of
its acquisition of Shade-Allied, Inc., for $49.5 million, including transaction
costs.  Based in Green Bay, WI, with manufacturing facilities in four states,
Shade-Allied's sales were approximately $90 million in 1996.

Announced in January, the acquisition, AP&P's seventh since 1992, expands the
company's product lines of writing pads, filing materials and envelopes to
include machine papers.  Shade-Allied's line of machine papers included inkjet
papers, printed formats, fine papers such as cotton content and laid papers, as
well as continuous forms.

"The logic of the acquisition is obvious in the cross-channeling opportunities
it creates," said Charles G. Hanson III, Chairman and CEO.  "AP&P's customers
purchased over $800 million of machine papers in 1996."

Hanson explained: "Key customers encouraged us to add machine papers and other
paper products to our product offering.  This is AP&P's second acquisition in
six months and we anticipate more in 1997."

"Hanson added: "Our strategy is to focus on the giants who are consolidating the
industry: Office Product Superstores such as Staples, Mass Marketers like
Wal*Mart, National Contract Stationers such as Corporate Express and Paper
Merchants like Unisource.  We want to leverage our national distribution
capabilities and offer them sole source procurement of paper-based office
products.  Acquiring Shade-Allied clearly strengthens our hand."

American Pad & Paper Co., which invented the legal pad in 1888,. is a leading
manufacturer and marketer of paper-based office products in North America.  The
Company, with 22 US facilities, manufactures and distributes writing pads, file
folders, envelopes and other office products."

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