Banana was cultivated even before the Christian age and is known to be the first fruit cultivated by man. Now-a-days with the need to save the environment from the harsh effects of paper and printing processes, paper production from banana is on the rise. Banana paper is environmentally fine, acid free, tree free and harsh chemical free, eco friendly paper.
Banana paper is of two types – one kind of paper is made from the bark of the banana tree and the other is made from the banana fiber. The paper which is produced from the bark of the banana tree is utilized for artistic purposes and may or may not be used for printing. However, the one which is made from the fiber is obtained from industrialization processes and can be custom made for printing purposes.
Banana paper is produced by recycling tetra pack containers, newspapers, magazines and much more wastes as well as the agricultural waste of banana. The collected paper is first cleaned and then it is squashed and churned with minimal water, until the paper dissolves in water. The agricultural waste of banana is mixed with the post consumer paper using a sprinkling system. The pressure of this sprinkling system determines the thickness of the paper. The next step- editorial and conversion process determines the quality of the printing paper.
Banana paper is made from waste product and besides being eco-friendly; it is 300 times stronger than pulp paper. The paper is smooth and uncoated which allows rapid processing; this uncoated surface gives true-color printing performance. Negligible amount of water is used in the production, as the agricultural waste contains enough sap of its own. The paper uses no additives, no chemicals, greases or dyes during its manufacture. The paper is naturally fire resistant and greaseproof.
Banana paper is totally bio-degradable and hence it is a great way to improve the Green Credentials.
