Living in the Age of Ingenuity 

Utilizing recycled cotton, banana fiber, wild grasses, tea waste, or elephant dung, Athulya Paper Studio by Srishti Trust in Munnar, Kerala, India creates a wide variety of handcrafted, 100% wood-free paper products. Additionally, the studio was initiated by the Srishti Trust in order to provide a safe haven and economic opportunity for specially-abled children and adults of the community of plantation workers in Munnar, Kerala. Today it is run by nearly forty specially-abled artisans.

Depending on the material used, the first step in producing these lovely wood-free paper products ranges from washing cotton, drying elephant dung, beating banana stems to a pulp, or preparing tea waste and coffee husk to be used as an additive. Then the natural materials are soaked and strained to extract the fibers. The pulp is run through a beater for nearly half a day before being placed in sieves and deckles and then put in the sun to dry. With an eye for detail, artisans then place flowers, ferns, and leaves onto the dried paper before warping and boiling it. These include community-grown marigolds, carrot leaves, eucalyptus, and Morning Glories.

Their “Forest Botanicals” Collection is inspired by the vibrant nature around them and encourages community awareness around sustainability and environmental concerns. Since the studio’s creation, the local community has assisted with the collection of the raw materials required for paper production. “We believe it is not just this collection, but our entire work that embodies the mind and hands to explore ideas around the recovery of mind and spirit. Where there is rebirth within and all around, there is the re-emergence of hope and belief.”