ABOUT PUNE HANDMADE PAPERS

Have you ever imagined the amount of trees required to produce paper? Worldwide the production of paper is over 300 million tons per year and 90% is wood pulp and mill made. The wood pulp and paper producing industry is also responsible for disastrous environmental change, contributing to 9% of the total overall CO2 emissions, greenhouse gases and detrimental changes like global warming, acid rain, ozone depletion and non-renewable resources depletion.

Isn’t it time we switch to a better paper alternative to safely pass on our resources and environment to our future generations. Start by using the most eco-friendly handmade paper in the world made cotton rag waste and plant fibres without cutting trees; which consumes minimum electricity, water chemical and reducing environmental pollution.

MOST UNIQUE & INCOMPARABLE
HANDCRAFTED PAPER

the entire handmade paper making process is painstakingly yet lovingly handcrafted by hand. With use of different waste materials the end product is nothing short to a piece of beautiful art

MOST TENSILE STRENGTH ISOTROPY
& LONG LASTING PAPER

made without use of strong chemicals and abrasive industrial production methods. this retains the original strength of the raw natural materials. The entire process consumes minimum electricity and interestingly is hung to dry naturally

MOST SUSTAINABLE & ECO-FRIENDLY FORM OF PAPER

handmade papers are chemical-free, tree-free paper that is painstakingly handcrafted and made from cotton rag waste and other fibre waste like jute, bamboo, hemp, wheat husk & paper waste

The Handmade Paper Institute (HMPI) Pune, under the Maharashtra State Khadi & Village Industries Board had pioneered India’s handmade paper industry since 1962. Unfortunately due to many challenges and recline the production unit was shut down in mid 2010s.

To retrieve the production unit and livelihoods of the handmade paper artisans, Studio Mars Pvt Ltd, one of India’s leading design firms has been appointed as the new management since 2019. Today under their brand name of Pune Handmade Papers, Studio Mars has successfully have been able to address the needs of changing times and evolving sustainable global market needs; This powerful collaboration of world class graphic & product designers along with the handmade paper artisans, have led to amazing designs- a perfect blend of traditional techniques and modern design thinking. The aim is to manifest the beauty of rustic handmade paper & retrieve this handcrafted art by developing a wide range of ethnic contemporary artistic papers & paper products.

The Handmade Paper Institute (HMPI) Pune, was the brainchild of Mahatma Gandhi and the innovation of city scientist KB Joshi and was officially inaugurated by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on August 1, 1940. Scientist KB Joshi (on whom the institute’s road has been named) was working in an oil mill in Newasa, Maharashtra, in the 1930s when he met with Gandhi. Joshi was already working on paper produced from cotton linters and rags, showed Gandhi as an alternative to the paper being imported at the time. The latter, averse to machines being used for paper production, encouraged Joshi to work on handmade paper instead. Hence in 1936, the land in Pune was taken on lease from the agricultural department. Joshi was later joined by agriculturist GH Gondhalekar, and the Bombay Khadi Samiti was set up.

WHY PUNE HANDMADE PAPERS ?

REVIVAL OF THE
HANDMADE PAPER INSTITUTE

A SWADESHI LEGACY
SINCE 1940

WHY PUNE HANDMADE PAPERS ?

REVIVAL OF THE HANDMADE PAPER INSTITUTE

A SWADESHI LEGACY SINCE 1940

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REVIVAL OF THE
HANDMADE PAPER INSTITUTE

A SWADESHI LEGACY
SINCE 1940