HANDMADE paper has a glorious history dated back to the history of human civilisation and culture. The people of ancient times excelled at making papyrus, a paper-like material on which they used to write their day-to-day works and histories. Increasing population around the world from ancient times to the present day inflated the demand for transferring knowledge, information, and education, which eventually worked as a driving factor in the stupendous increase in the production of paper.
The most uniquely crafted item, more eco-friendly, handmade paper is a single layer of fibres held together by cellulose fibres through natural bonding that are moulded by hand, separating sheet by sheet with the help of the water suspension method. Its texture is often tactile, which sensations to visual interest, and design presents aesthetic appeal to the human mind. Product diversification and differentiation in handmade paper play a pivotal role in bringing its individuality and uniqueness, which display it as a work of art in its own right.
Primarily, the production process starts with the selection of raw materials, which include cotton, linen, hemp, or other plant-item materials. Sometimes other by-products or paper wastes are also used to produce. Then, by using traditional tools or mechanically pulping the fibres to create a pulp mixture. The pulp is spread in water, where it is manually vibrated to form a thin layer. Then, the next step is to mould and deckle into water, pour it onto the screen, and pull it out. To remove water and make it dry, the wet sheet is transferred to a flatmat under controlled conditions. This process requires a few days, and finally, after trimming and inspection, furnishing the surface of the dried sheet makes it into desired specifications as desired.
In the early 1960s, the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation established a relatively small industrial estate with 25.04 acres of land in Feni. Couples of handmade paper industrial units were established in this estate in the 1980s. The Suktara Handmade Paper Mills, established in 1989, is one of them and is 100 per cent export-oriented. As of today, these industrial units produce decorated cards, lampshades, gift boxes, photo albums, stationary sets, and wrapping paper. Recently, they also produce bags, purses, grass mats, etc.
Bangladesh is a land of numerous festivals, which create the opportunities for the creative use of handmade paper in cultural festivals as decorative items. It also finds its appeal in fine art prints, bookbinding, block printing, calligraphy, and even in the field of national protests. Where there are demands for versatility and aesthetic pleasure, handmade paper is preferred.听
As labour-intensive, the production of handmade paper requires a large amount of labour to operate its production process. Therefore, it creates an opportunity for employment. Each piece of handmade paper, with its artisanal approach, needs close monitoring to preserve its artistic appeal and tradition. So the workers need to be trained as passionate artisans.
A famous French economist of the early nineteenth century named Jean-Baptiste Say words, often known as Says law insists, supply creates its own demand. James Mill, on the other hand, pointed out that 鈥榯he production of commodities creates demand and is the one and universal cause that creates a market for the commodities produced鈥�. So the production of handmade paper will create its own market. As eco-friendly, eco-conscious people are campaigning across the globe for using handmade paper for packaging items, the market will expand.
Cluster-based industrial parks for handmade paper can contribute to our economy. The BSCIC can take necessary initiatives to bring scattered handmade paper industrial units across the country under one umbrella organisation for the well-being of this sector in the future. Prospects and potentiality of those industrial units are not excelling at the desired mark due to some crucial factors. Lack of financing, marketing, and skilled artisans have been hampering the production of handmade paper. Similar to the apparel sector, the handmade paper sector is also dominated by women workers. Literally, there is no proper training centre for these women workers, so that could improve their skills and respond to global demands.
The hereditary ownership of these industrial units and sometimes the indifference of the next generation didn鈥檛 help to take the handmade paper sector to the place it should be. As this sector needs perfection to bring quality and uniqueness, the owners need to be well passionate and trained. At the same time, they need adequate loans from banks and financial institutions on easy terms with low interest charges. The BSCIC can participate in this journey by establishing a new estate exclusively for the handmade paper industry and marketing their products and items online and offline. The good news is that BSCIC has already opened an online platform named 鈥楤SCIC online market鈥� for such entrepreneurs to promote their businesses.
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Sabbir Hosen is an extension officer at the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation, Feni.
