HAND MADE PAPER AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Introduction
The Indian handmade paper industry has recorded a steady phenomenal growth in production over the years. The domestic demand and the demand in the, export market is also increasing simultaneously. At present around 55 percent of total demand in India is based on consumer products and 45 percent is directed towards the industrial sector but in case of handmade papers, 95% demand is based on consumer product and 5% for industrial based product. Evaluation of non-competitive grades of paper has helped this industry to progress. The varieties can is roughly categorized into 3 grades:

• High grades like artists' and engineers' drawing papers.
• Industrial papers such as filter paper, Jacquard papers and electrical insulation papers and some specialty boards
• Fancy papers used for certificates, greeting cards, decorative papers etc.
• Disposable plate, cup etc.

Hence, the handmade papers and boards have many fold uses in office stationary as file covers and file boards, in printing and packaging industries as greetings, invitation and visiting cards, in converting industries as folders and albums, lamp shades and a wide range of decorative items. Apart from the conventional raw materials like rags and waste paper a few other raw materials like water hyacinth, banana fibres, etc can also be used depending on the availability in that locality. However, the process parameters will vary for each type of raw material. CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat has developed a process for the manufacture of handmade paper and paperboards using various types of raw materials

Manufacturing process
The process for manufacturing handmade papers consists of two steps:

• Preparation of pulp
• Formation of handmade papers

Preparation of pulp from waste paper and rags is done by sorting them and making free from foreign materials and feeding to a beater to convert into pulp. Necessary chemicals, dyes etc are added in the beater to get the desired quality of pulp. Handmade papers and boards are made in hand vats from the pulp prepared as above which is pressed and dried. The dry papers and boards are calendared and finishing is given as per the end use

Basis of presumption

With the increase of standard of education and number of technical and engineering institutions, the demand of specialty handmade papers like certificate papers, drawing papers etc is also simultaneously increasing. Side by side demand for the non-competitive varieties like greeting cards and various decorative papers for both domestic market as well as export is also on the increase. Being eco-friendly and waste paper recycled, the handmade papers have their own identity in the market. As the principal raw material is locally available and the market consumption is substantial, a unit manufacturing 200 kg of handmade papers and boards per day is considered to be economically viable

Equipments

1. Hydropulper /Beater
2. Vat
3. Hydraulic/Screw Press
4. Calendaring machine
5. Cutting machine
6. Miscellaneous pulp handling equipments

Capital Investment
The investment for a plant producing 200 kg of handmade paper and paperboards per day is estimated at Rs.18.50 lakhs including the plant and equipments and factory shed