In southern Bangladesh, a women's cooperative makes paper. They use waste jute and the fibers of the water hyacinth plant to make the paper. The hyacinth is a plant that clogs many water ways in Bangladesh, thus allowing malaria-carrying mosquitoes to multiply. Not only does the paper become a beautiful item to sell, but it also helps the community's environment!

Homemade paper

Materials needed:

Papermaking mold (directions found below)
Used paper (white envelopes, office paper, etc.)
Bucket
Food blender
Water
Dishpan that mold fits into
Wooden spoon
Rubber gloves
Pressed leaves or flower petals (optional)
Tray
Dish towels
Brick or other heavy weight
Iron
9" by 13" pan

To make papermaking mold: Take an old wooden picture frame (about 8" by 10") and staple a piece of plain net curtain with a fine mesh over the frame. Stretch the net evenly, and staple securely.

To press leaves: Take small leaves or petals from daisies, mums, black-eyed Susans, and lay them flat on a piece of paper. Cover with heavy book. Let set at least overnight.

To make paper: Tear used paper into small pieces and soak overnight in a bucket of water. (This will have to be done before your event.) Avoid glossy paper, gummed edges, etc.

Liquidize soaked paper by placing small amounts into a blender until it is a soupy pulp. Use plenty of water, and shorts bursts of the blender. Pour one jugful of pulp and four jugfuls of water into plastic dishpan. Dip mold, net side up, into pan. Gently lift upward, catching a thick layer of pulp on the net.

Lay petals or leaves on top for decoration. Press in gently. Let drain. Place 9" by 13" pan upside down on tray. Lay newspaper on pan, then cover with a dish towel. Turn the mold over and gently transfer the paper pulp onto the cloth. Cover with another dish towel.

Make another sheet of paper, and continue to stack paper and dish cloths. When finished, place a brick on top, and let dry. Or iron sheets of paper individually between dish cloths to dry them.

For additional help, papermaking books can probably be found at your local library.