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Journalism of Courage
Don’t let soaring gold prices dampen your passion for jewellery,switch to paper adornments.
Paper jewellery made from recycled paper with water promises to be environmental friendly and is light,durable,sweat resistant besides withstanding normal pressure.
Normal water contact does not damage it,says an entrepreneur who makes paper jewellery.
A labour intensive process,each bead is hand rolled,glued and triple varnished.
“We use mill-made recycled paper,which helps reduce our carbon footprint and helps the environment”,Usha Natrajan,managing partner of city-based Mahalakshmi Creations,which is incorporated with 80 entrepreneurs involved in paper jewellery,said.
Paper jewellery can be customised in any colour andpattern,she said adding most of her customers were in the 20-35 age group.
“Mostly young girls evince interest in buying the jewellery”,she added.
Explaining the method involved in making paper jewellery,Usha said that paper is first manually moulded into beads of different shapes and sizes. Utmost care is taken in bonding,strengthening,hardening,colouring and waterproofing.
The paper beads are adorned with crystals,stones,chatons,kundan,glass beads,polki,semi-precious stones,acrylic beads,and horn beads,she added.
She said her company had so far produced more than 2,000 designs in 40 colours. “Special designs are being developed for changing seasons and moods. The range varies from elaborate and detailed designs to basics,” she said. She said an ear ring cost Rs 45 while.
Usha said acceptance of paper jewellery is catching on.
“We give options to customers,right from choosing the main design base to the beads. We then fix original Swravoski glass beads,cultured beads and pearls.We do not use chemicals in any process while making the jewellery,” she said.
Started in a small way in 2006,Usha’s company claims to have sold paper jewellery worth Rs three lakh that year.
“After that there has been a steady growth in sales of 40 per cent every year,” she added.
Sivaranjani,a college student,said she preferred to wear paper jewellery since there are many designs and it is eco friendly. “It is also cheap,” she added.
Dermatologists say no research has yet been conducted on the possible effects of wearing paper jewellery,as it is a new entrant into the market.
