The idea to unite Fair Trade practices with design and sustainable principles was the basis for developing the unique range of Waterproof Paper Pottery. By training local women in the art of paper making, using discarded waste paper from local industries, with a circular system of zero waste recycling, combined with a new rubberizing technique and some high tech laser cutting machines an amazing project began.

RURAL HOME WORK PROJECT

Beginning in a factory in Panadura it have now expanded to include the “Home Work Project” that enables rural mothers to get a regular income while still looking after their children. Employing 128 women and growing day by day, the rural “Home Work Project” has been a huge success in providing employment in remote areas.  Living far from employment and with school age children these women had no opportunities for earning an income. By providing training sessions within their neighbourhood, free raw materials including all tools along with a fair wage for their finished products, the Home Work project has allowed these women to work in the times that suit them while still caring for their children.

With a team of company tuk tuks delivering raw materials to their home and collecting the finished products, the project has changed these women’s ability to contribute to the family’s income while still working within their community.

ZERO WASTE 

The main factory is still at Panadura and is where the waterproofing of the pots with natural rubber is done as well making the zero waste paper from which the pots are made. Yes that’s right no waste at all.

The components for making the core of the pots are laser cut for precision from purchased leftovers and waste paper from the printing and packaging industry. The off cuts from this process are pulped to create a smooth, paper slurry from which handmade paper is made. The patterns are pressed into this wet handmade paper and when dry are cut to decorate each unique pot. The offcuts from the decorating process are re-pulped and again put back into the paper making process. So no, zero, zilch waste is produced and every little off-cut is used.

Everything in production process has been designed to keep resource use to a minimum, pots are air dried, high quality non-toxic water based paints are mixed on site to create customized colours only in quantities needed per job so there is no waste paints to dispose of. They even use the discarded tissue paper used in fabric printing to wrap the finished pots in for shipment.

MEET SOME OF THE MAKERS

Paper Pottery production supports a diverse team of fulltime employees in the Panadura factory just south of Colombo, Sri Lanka. All workers are paid a fair wage, with social security and paid leave and are provided training and a safe and welcoming workplace.

Shriyanthi applies the the rubber waterproofing

The innovative team at waterproof paper pottery work hard to produce a unique and functional product that is not only beautiful but also sustainable and biodegradable.

that allows these handcrafted paper pots to be waterproof and light as a feather without resorting to toxic chemicals, Paper Pottery is a unique sustainable product with the added bonus that it will biodegrade at the end of its life.