Tackling waste paper and unemployment at once
BRAC Recycled Handmade Paper is one of Bangladesh’s leading handmade paper enterprises.
Founded in 2000, BRAC Recycled Handmade Paper had a vision to reduce paper wastage and create livelihoods for women. Initially, we focused on recycling corporate paper waste and creating job opportunities for women who had dropped out of the BRAC education program. We have since employed hundreds of such young women, who now make up 100% of our artisans. By 2009, we had evolved into a full-fledged enterprise, pioneering the promotion of recycled handmade paper in Bangladesh.

Beyond stationary
We have now evolved far beyond stationery. In addition to eco-friendly paper products, we now produce lampshades, photo frames, and other artisanal items, crafted from recycled materials such as used paper, banana tree trunks, wheat stalks, water hyacinth, hay, and cotton. Much of the raw material is collected from BRAC’s own offices, ensuring that waste is repurposed into high-value products. 100 women artisans handcraft these products at our rural production facility, and they are distributed nationwide through Aarong’s retail stores.
Closing the loop on paper waste
What began as a recycling initiative for corporate paper waste now includes a unique exchange program - companies trade in their paper waste and receive beautiful customized recycled office stationery in return. Looking ahead, we plan to introduce semi-mechanized production methods, so that we can meet the rapidly growing demand for upcycled and circular economy products, while still preserving the essence of craft—as well as creating more jobs and recycling more paper.

Stories of impact
