The Paper Industry in Brief

Paper is made from wood pulp, agricultural residue or recycled fibre, and India's industry serves writing, printing, packaging and tissue markets.

Paper is one of the oldest industrial products, and it remains everywhere: books, notebooks, cartons, bills and cups.

What paper is made from

Paper is made from cellulose fibres. These come from wood, from crop residue such as bagasse and wheat straw, or from recycled waste paper.

Main types

Writing and printing paper, newsprint, packaging board, kraft paper for boxes, and tissue are the main groups.

Size

India’s paper industry serves a large domestic market, though per-person consumption is well below that of many countries, which suggests room to grow.

A school notebook

A single notebook connects farms that grow trees, a pulp mill, a paper mill, a printer and a shop.

Thinking paper always needs fresh trees

A large share of Indian paper is made from recycled waste and farm residue.

Key takeaways

Paper is made from cellulose fibre.
Sources include wood, residue and recycled paper.
Main products serve writing, packaging and tissue.
Per-person use is low, so growth room exists.