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The Story of the Seeded Paper


What can a seed do? The seed of an idea is all it has taken to begin to revolutionize the life cycle of paper products in India. Paper waste accounts for 16% of solid landfill waste. Our partners saw the amount of waste created and decided to try to do something about it. They launched a network of over 800 farmers and 300 rural women, in southern India, who have developed stationery products that can be planted using recycled paper. Their paper products have organic seeds inside, enabling them to bring about the new plant life as they biodegrade. All the stationery products come from discarded newspapers, cotton shreds and other post-consumer waste destined for a landfill. This provides both employment opportunities and encourages a circular tree saving, economy.



From up-cycled paper, comes various standardized and customized products such as pencils, pens, bookmarks, cloth tags, invitation cards, calendars, coasters and notebooks. All products can be planted and this enables their consumers to be zero waste in an entirely new way.


Post-Consumer Upcycled Paper | Organic Seeds from Local Farmers |Compostable| Zero Plastic | Customizable


Raw materials

All paper products are created from local post-consumer waste including newspapers, cotton shreds and other paper waste. The seeds are sourced from organic farmers.


Production

The paper is collected from various sources, cleaned and shredded, before being processed at a local paper making facility from pulp to paper sheets. During this process, the organic seeds are embedded into the paper. No bleach or other potentially harmful chemicals are added to the process.


ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

By promoting a circular economy, and turning waste into a resource, these products directly seek to reduce human impact on the climate. Each product saves trees from being cut. By seeding the products with organic seeds the producers are seeking to take immediate action to restore plant life and mitigate climate change. For example, 2500 pencils save a 20-foot pine tree from ever being cut and sprouts 2500 new plants.


UN Sustainable Development Goal


By diverting waste, reducing the use of fresh paper products and preventing further deforestation these products take immediate action under target 15.2 "halt deforestation" and by seeding their products with organic seeds this producer seeks to "restore degraded forests and increase afforestation and reforestation."




SOCIAL IMPACT

These products contribute to the livelihoods to many low-income groups in southern India, including artisans and independent farmers. The collective effort employs over 800 farmers who supply the seeds and many rural artisans who craft these innovative products.


UN Sustainable Development Goal

By promoting a sustainable form of industrialization in the rural communities by diverting waste and employing farmers and artisans these products contribute to target 9.2: "promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization."



Livelihoods Impacted: over 800 farmers and 300 rural artisans





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