Matr Boomie Paper

Artisan Organization: Matr Boomie

Country: India

Meet Azhar Begh, a talented paper crafter who works for Matr Boomie! Azhar has learned the art of paper crafting for nearly half of his life, which also earned him the nickname “Bunty” from his coworkers for his work with printed paper buntings hanging on a cotton cord. His nearly lifelong experience is reflected in the beautiful work he produces and the passion with which he approaches his projects. He comes from a different cultural background, he is Muslim while his coworkers are of Hindu religion, but through their shared artistic passions they have become like an extended family, on top of his already large and wonderful family. After Azhar’s father passed away 3 years ago, he married his wife the following year. The founder of Matr Boomie, Mr. Vaibhav, carried out all customs and duties in place of his father despite being Hindu himself. 

All of the paper used in these products is made by hand. This is done first by recycling cotton textile scraps collected as waste from the local textile industry; these scraps are then turned into a pulp and converted to paper through a particular process. This process has been passed down for hundreds of years, so it is quite special and unique, and very important to preserve. Once the paper is made, it can then be screenprinted, which is also done by hand! As you can probably tell, this whole process requires a great deal of skill that takes some time to learn. Getting to take part in preserving an ancient and beautiful tradition is yet another reason so many artisans like Azhar become so passionate about the art of paper craft.