It is said that the difference should be in the eyes not in the eyes. Your point of view can make a difference to you. Just like it happened with Bandana Jain. Bandana did her schooling from JJ School of Arts and was to make her own project in the last year of her degree. In such a situation, she was looking for some inspiration for herself and she found a cardboard place on the campus. She says that seeing the attractive texture of the cardboard, she felt that she could use it.
However, at that time it was not possible. But shortly after this, Bandana did some of his projects with cardboard and on seeing this his art became famous. Today he is not just Bandana Jain, but today his name is a brand. Under this brand, she is making special furniture and artefacts from cardboard for the people. Talking to The Better India, he told about his journey.
Mumbai reached from Bihar
Bandana said, “I come from a Marwari family in Thakurganj area of Bihar. Even today, more importance for girls than education and career is given to learning household chores and marriage. But I always wanted to become an artist. I used to know sketching. So I wanted to do something good in the field of arts.”
She further says that her passion brought her to Mumbai and it was here that she found a course at JJ School of Arts. However, getting admission there was very difficult. But he did not give up and worked hard day and night to get admission in the college.
In the last year of college, he got the idea of working on cardboard. Because they are beautiful as well as nature friendly and durable.
Furniture designed for your home
Bandana says that during college she could not work on cardboard because she feared that she would not get marks if the project did not go well. But when he bought his house, Bandana took the responsibility of furnishing this house. She says she made things using a variety of raw materials, including a chair made from recycled cardboard.
“Working with cardboard was not easy. I also got hurt several times because I didn’t know much about what tools to use to cut it. So I thought it shouldn’t work. But my husband and other friends liked it very much. So I also made a sofa for the house with the help of a friend of mine and we are using it even today,” he said. After making the sofa, Bandana’s self-confidence started to grow and she started making many more things out of it.
Bandana told that after the sofa, he made 10-12 different types of lamps. When she started getting appreciation for her work from all sides, she felt that she could do this work on a commercial level. Because no one else was working with this kind of material before.
Cardboard makes sturdy furniture
Bandana says that in 2013 she started her studio with an investment of just Rs 13000. She is also using cardboard to make chairs, tables, and sofas, etc. and to make artworks. Bandana says, “I am contributing to not only saving trees from felling but also saving the environment from pollution by using recycled cardboard. However, people always have doubts that how long will a thing made of cardboard last? But the products I make are going to last for years and years. Made from a completely different design and material, my products are as good and quality as any other material. These layered cardboards are used to make cans for shipping as electronic goods are packed in them. These are different from normal cardboard. Because in these there is a layered sheet between two flat sheets. Due to which this cardboard is very strong and remains light in weight.
He further said that slowly but surely he has made his work a brand. Earlier she was working under her own studio, but now she manufactures products under her own label ‘Bandana Jain’.
Architect Anand Menon says about Bandana’s products that she works with very different materials and in that too, there is a thought and meaning in each and every product she creates. She works by understanding the needs of her clients.
Bandana further says that the effect of the corona epidemic has been everywhere. But during this time he also got a chance to stop and think for a while. Now she is working on personal projects of her own accord. Earlier their products were sold in thousands but now their only product is worth lakhs.
If you want to see their products, you can visit their Instagram page. Bandana hopes that in the coming times people will use such material in their homes furniture instead of wood or plastic so that the environment can be conserved. Also, there are a lot of opportunities for artists and designers in this field as this type of art and innovation is being appreciated not only at the national but also at the international level.
Editing – G N Jha
photo credit: bandana jain
Also read: Bangalore: People used to burn what they thought as garbage, cheap, beautiful and durable furniture made from the same wood!
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