India produces over 20 million tonnes of paper and paperboard a year. The main manufacturing states are Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, West Bengal, and Gujarat. The export range covers printing and writing paper, kraft paper, newsprint, tissue and hygiene paper, specialty papers, cardboard and paperboard, paper bags and sacks, paper cups and plates, and handmade and artisan paper. The handmade paper segment is where India stands apart from most other origins - Jaipur and Pune produce lokta paper, cotton rag paper, and recycled handcrafted paper that goes to sustainable stationery buyers, premium packaging companies, and eco-retail brands across Europe and North America. The provenance and material story behind these products matters to their buyers, and Indian suppliers understand that.
Kraft paper and paperboard move the most volume internationally. Indian manufacturers supply packaging companies, food processors, and industrial goods producers across the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia with virgin and recycled kraft paper for corrugated box production and industrial wrapping. Tissue and hygiene paper - facial tissues, kitchen roll, toilet paper - goes to private label retail buyers in GCC and African markets. Multiwall paper bags for cement, food, and chemical packaging are exported in significant quantities to construction and food processing buyers across Africa and the Middle East. Paper cups and plates are a growing export category as single-use plastic restrictions tighten across markets - Indian manufacturers supply food service and events buyers globally at price points that work for high-volume disposable use.
FSC and PEFC certification covers sustainable timber sourcing for paper going into EU and UK retail - check supplier profiles for chain-of-custody documentation if your buyers require it. Food contact paper - cups, plates, food packaging - needs EU food contact compliance or equivalent for other markets. Recycled content claims need supplier documentation to back them up; don't take these at face value without paperwork. Handmade and specialty paper products carry no significant certification requirements beyond standard customs documentation. Use the enquiry function to specify paper grade, gsm, dimensions, recycled content requirements, and food contact compliance needs before placing orders.
