Straw Paper
Straw has
historically been used for pulp and paper production in the US. One of
the first pulp mills in the US was based on straw. Jute and straw are
the most natural best fibre which are composed of cellulose, that is the
main building material of all plants and is totally biodegradable. They
make excellent paper, as this fiber is very similar to hardwood fibers,
and straw pulp can be used in most papers as a substitute for hardwood
pulp. These jute/straw handmade Indian papers are commonly used for
invitations, greeting, and most all decorative projects, as they are
internally sized and best suited for rubber stamping, calligraphic
design, and many other printing methods. Paper making from materials like, jute and straw can be best described as a remarkable transformation that arises from artistic expression as well as practical necessity. The banding together of exotic combinations and everlasting impact, the handmade jute & straw paper is a unique example of recycling available material such as Jute, wool, silk, straw etc., which comes with a great change in the usage and look of the paper. Jute, flower petals, leaves, grasses, straw, and old newspapers are brought to the mill where, skilled artisan, handcraft them into vibrant, elegant sheets of paper. There is plenty of straw, globally about 1.5 billion tons are produced annually which is sufficient to replace most of the hardwood used in papermaking.
The restoration of the forest resources is difficult because of the relatively long growing cycle of trees and there is an increasing demand for paper, which has led to excessive deforestation in both developed and developing countries. This has stimulated growing interest toward jute/straw among various countries. Both of these fibers are renewable resources of biomass, requiring very less days for growth, hence they have evoloved as an acceptable and widely available alternative source of pulp.
Jute paper can also be manufactured from industrial waste with added fibrous strands. The paper is perfect for stitch and for combining with fabric or other papers. The demand for this handmade jute/straw paper is increasing globally and is expected to grow further.
