The paper's history is tied together with the history of human culture and civilization. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans utilized a type of paper known as 'papyrus.' China developed and popularized today's paper, which spread to other countries.
Modern papermaking began in the early 19th century in Europe. Almost all paper is manufactured using trees as the primary source of wood pulp. Paper manufacturing continues to be a concern in modern times from an environmental perspective due to its use of a large number of trees, harsh chemicals, huge water consumption resulting in ecological imbalances, pollution, and contamination risks. Eco-friendly paper is a solution to solve all environmentally related problems.
Handmade paper has the advantage of being 100% wood-free, which makes it the most eco-friendly form of paper. Handmade paper is great for writing as well as printing. It has greater tensile, bursting, tearing, and double-fold strength compared to conventional papers. Handmade paper is eco-friendly, biodegradable, recyclable, of high quality and utility, and, most importantly, reasonably priced.
MARKET POTENTIAL
The handmade paper sector in India has great potential to address the growing demand for paper products in an environmentally friendly way. People are working to increase the use of handmade and recycled paper in order to start a chain reaction. Without a doubt, the usage of environmentally friendly paper leads to in a self-sustaining society. Countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines have already established themselves as "Handmade paper giants." The export market for Indian handmade paper has expanded dramatically, especially in developed countries like the USA, Germany, Europe, Australia, etc.
One estimate shows that in India, only about 20% of waste paper is currently being recycled annually, which is very low in comparison to 73% in Germany, 69% in Sweden, 60% in Japan, 49% in the USA, and 45% in Italy. ITC started a program on paper collection called "Wealth Out of Waste, WOW." The locations of major handmade paper industries in India are Rajasthan, New Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, etc. Hyderabad is also home to several small and medium-sized handmade paper industries. Sanganer near Jaipur in Rajasthan is the world's largest center of handmade paper.
PRODUCT USES & RAW MATERIALS REQUIRED
Office stationery, writing pads, conference folders, computer printouts, drawing and documentation sheets, awards, and degree rewards are all manufactured with handmade paper. It is used to make decorative and showcase products like as fancy products and diaries, photo frames, paper bags, and a range of other decorative and showcase products. These handcrafted papers can be made into a number of common items such as purses, files, and folders.
Paddy and wheat straw, jute, rags, cotton rags, hosiery cuttings, cotton linter, tailor cuttings, fibers (jute/hemp), bagasse, cotton stalks, grasses, waste paper, and other resources are used to make handmade paper.
FINANCIAL INVESTMENT
The manufacturing business of cricket bats does not require extensive capital investment. It's one of the preferred industries since the investment is comparatively lower than any such allied industrial units. This business may be started with an initial capital investment of roughly 20 to 25 lakhs and earn a substantial quantity of revenue with a gross profit margin of 25 to 30 percent. The sale value of items varies according to the design, thickness, and other characteristics of handmade paper. The investment includes the cost of the plant and machinery acquired for the manufacturing setup.
The investment required for working capital will be around 9 to 12 lakhs. The manufacturing setup also requires space for inventory, a workshop or manufacturing area, space for power supply utilities, and auxiliary setups like a generator. Some area of the building is also required for office staff facilities, documentation, office furniture, etc. Thus, at an initial scale, the approximate total area required for a complete industrial setup is 3000 to 3500 sqft. Manpower is also an essential input in the business. The average number of staff can range between 6 to 10 people, including skilled and unskilled staff. A power load of 25 KWH shall also be required, which shall be applied with the power corporation.
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Institute for Industrial Development provides incubation to budding startups and businesses to help them grow in their initial stages and helps them avail schemes and loans by providing them bankable project reports. It also provides courses and programs to empower entrepreneurs and small businesses.
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