Plastic-Mixed Handmade Paper | 06 Aug 2021

Recently, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has secured Patent registration for its innovative Plastic-mixed Handmade Paper developed to reduce plastic menace from nature.

The plastic-mixed handmade paper (which is recyclable and eco-friendly) was developed under Project REPLAN (REducing PLAstic from Nature).
- The project was launched in September 2018 as part of KVIC’s commitment to Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan.
- It aims to make carry bags by mixing processed and treated plastic waste with cotton fibre rags in the ratio 20:80.
- This is the first of its kind project in India, where plastic waste is de-structured, degraded, diluted and used with paper pulp while making handmade paper and thus reduces plastic waste from nature.
The invention is aligned with the Prime Minister’s call for fighting the menace of single-use plastic.
The production of waste-plastic mixed handmade paper is likely to serve the twin objectives:
- Protecting the environment
- Creating sustainable employment
The technology developed by KVIC uses both high & low density waste polythene that not only adds extra strength to the paper but also reduces the cost by up to 34%.
KVIC has developed products such as carry bags, envelopes, files/folders, etc. using plastic mixed handmade paper.

Patent

A Patent is a statutory right for an invention granted for a limited period of time to the patentee by the Government, in exchange of full disclosure of his invention for excluding others, from making, using, selling, importing the patented product or process for producing that product for those purposes without his consent.
The term of every patent granted is 20 years from the date of filing of application.
The patent system in India is governed by the Patents Act, 1970 as amended by the Patents (Amendment) Act, 2005 and the Patents Rules, 2003.
The Patent Rules are regularly amended in consonance with the changing environment, most recent being in 2016.
Patent protection is a territorial right and therefore it is effective only within the territory of India.
- There is no concept of global patent.
- Patents should be obtained in each country where the applicant requires protection of his invention.

Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)

KVIC is a statutory body established under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act, 1956.
The KVIC is charged with the planning, promotion, organisation and implementation of programmes for the development of Khadi and other village industries in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary.
It functions under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
Major initiatives Associated with KVIC: