Ahemedabad has been a founding handmade paper centre since 1411. The ‘kagadi’ artisans were patronised by the Islamic rulers. The pper from Ahmedabad is famous for its toughness and whiteness. Earlier, the industry of handmade paper was limited to its utilisation in ‘khatavahi’ (account ledgers used by traders). The craft suffered a decline under the colonial era, with the use of papermaking machines. Now with the demand of handmade crafts from different sectors, handmade paper is being used in producing stationery, deeds, book binds and also as effective sustainable alternatives for products made by non-biodegradable materials.
