The jack of all trades : The good old newspaper
Purana Paper
The reusing of newspaper is a perfect symbolization of the paisa vasool attitude we Indians possess.
Before the world discovered the reusability of a newspaper, we Indians were using it practically everywhere. We wrapped our spices in them, our food, as carry bags, infact even to wrap shoes.
There is a legend that goes in my family that my father landed his first job interview while seeing an ad in the process of unwrapping his shoes which were inside a newspaper!
Such has been the tremendous power of its reuse. Recall the visual of an extra oil soaked newspaper, which had five minutes back been holding a samosa or a dhokla and now lies crumpled in the corner, but a live fully lived.
What are the various forms in which newspaper is reused?
Though there are various ways in which newspaper is used some popular design practices are :
- As paper bags for storing from medicines to household supplies
- For making small closed wraps or pudiyas to keep powder like substance like chilli, namak etc. Packed til date along with roasted corn or peanuts
- For wrapping pressed and laundered clothes. A flap of the sheet is used.
- As a makeshift dining table cloth when eating in bed .Specially summer days when mangoes are eaten
- Used by roadside stall wallas to serve bhel , jhalmuri, chana chor garam etc. This is the conical structure .
- A miniature version of the same is used to wrap pans .
- Vendors wrap gift items like paper mache till date in newspaper .
How much are they priced at ?
Practically nothing.
How to make one ?
Check out some steps and instructions to make a newspaper bag:
http://howaboutorange.blogspot.in/2010/07/how-to-make-gift-bags-from-newspaper.html
Why is this a Design Mela featured product?
For the obvious reasons ,its very very low cost , totally sustainable material, its flexibility to adapt to different uses and yes ! MASS CONSUMED !
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