The Paper Unit

The Paper Unit is where we purchase all the handmade recycled cotton paper for our books. This income from the Paper Unit is the key source of funding for a school for village children in Rajasthan. The school is run by "The Vidya Bhawan Society", a NGO that runs educational pragrams with the objective of educating a harmonious society with and within the environment.

The organisions aims and objectives are stated below: 

1. To promote sound education which implies the full and harmonious development of the individual according to his or her aptidude with a sense of social responsability.

2. To develop a broad and open minded outlook on life and a healthy sense of citizenship.

3. To Disseminate sound ideas on education among parents, teachers, guardians, and people in general.

4.To conduct and promote education experiment and research.

5. To promote vocational and professional education based on employment needs of society at large.

The making of Khadi paper.

Khadi paper is made out of recycled cotton. The first stage is to cut and chop the cotton rags. These are squeezed, smashed and battered.

After the mixing with plain water, the pulping process starts. Some old paper and organic bone glue is added for smoothness.

You get a porridge like substance. The grinding, beating and cutting of the pulp continues for another 6-8 hours. Sometimes the yellow leaves of the marigold flower are added.

The pulp is collected in wood framed sieves of app. 60-80 cm. After leaking out they turn it upside down on a pile of maximum 100 layers of paper sheets into being, separated by white cotton cloths. The paper sheets are machine pressed, rolled and then hung on sticks to dry.

The Leather.

It is not in Hindu religion to harm animals or slay them for their skin. The leather used for these books is sourced from local markets and is a by-product from existing industry.