Philippines Handmade Paper

The craft of making paper by hand is believed to have started in China in AD 105. Handmade papermaking eventually developed into a fine art and has since become part of the many exotic skills of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean artists. Over the period of time, this art flourished and expanded to other countries, like Philippines, Latin America, Parts of Europe, etc. Handmade paper making became very popular in Philippines, since the time people realized that, The Philippines is basically an agricultural country endowed with huge amount of bioresources which if utilized properly can supply the energy requirements for sustainable country development. Hence, came into existence the versatile and popular 'Philippines Handmade paper'.

The Past and Present of Industry
In Philippines, the research on using indigenous materials for handmade paper started in the late 1970s and by mid 1980's the research institutions started encouraging paper making by using rice straw. Gradually, as the industry evolved, The Philippines discovered more than one bio-resource that had the possibility of being used as raw material in the process of handmade paper making. Papermaking from natural fibres in the most natural way was suitable for small- and medium-scale enterprises. Furthermore, aside from providing rural employment, the industry also helped utilize what was normally considered as waste.

In Philippines there exists more than 100 handmade paper manufacturers today. The Philippines handmade paper enjoys huge market share worldwide when it comes to paper used for producing cards, stationeries, paper-match boxes, dolls, and art paper.

The Fabric Used
The Philippines recognized a huge potential of handmade paper making from the rice straw generated in the country annually, which was around 10-12 million tons. This waste, which was either burned or left to rot in the field have been identified as a promising material for handmade paper. As a matter of fact, apart from rice straw, cogon grass, banana and pineapple fiber, even tobacco stalks are used in the process of philippines handmade paper. The pulp yield from tobacco considered to be near about 65% higher than those of other materials and comparable with abaca fiber, the most commonly used fiber for handmade paper making.

Innovation and creativity are the chief attributes of Filipino craftsmen and entrepreneurs. These qualities teamed up with the country's Forest Products Research and Development Institute and private sector's strong support aim to establish Philippines Handmade Paper industry as a key player in the highly competent global market.