The addition of fillers to paper pulp in papermaking. Fillers are typically fine particles of inorganic materials such as clay, titanium dioxide, or other such substances. The basic constituent of paper is cellulose fiber, but fillers are added to alter one or more of a paper's properties, depending on the desired end-use characteristics. Loading modifies such paper properties as texture, opacity, brightness, basis weight, dimensional stability, ink absorbency, and overall printability. Other types of fillers include starches, gums, and synthetic polymers, as well as dyes and pigments. The combination of paper pulp and fillers is called the papermaking furnish. (See also Fillers and Sizing.)
In computing, the term loading refers to the act of transferring data into a computer, either manually or automatically, as when a program is "loaded" into the computer's memory.