When I had a conversation with Mitha Rehna, the founder of The Butterfly Factory, I was reminded of the the when I used to get my old notebooks bound into a new book. This memory made my inner child so happy because I used to enjoy doing it. I know this might be a strange way to start an introduction, but one of the best things that came out of my conversation with Mitha was this particular aspect.
Many of us Keralites must’ve repurposed our old school notebooks; having the blank pages bound together to create a new notebook. When I was in school, my mother used to insist on getting this done at the end of every academic year. As a result, I ended up with a combined book containing odd pages from different sources. The first time I did this, I was fascinated by how I could give my old books a new lease of life instead of discarding them. It felt great to know that I didn’t have to waste my old books.
Mitha, who is based in Kochi, had a similar experience. In her case, she learned the art of bookbinding from her father and YouTube. She shared, “I grew up watching my father skillfully bind books for the community using homemade glue made from maida. I often assisted him while he worked on the books, so I had a vague idea of bookbinding. However, I learned the art of bookbinding by watching videos on YouTube. These experiences formed the foundation of my journey in learning how to create books on my own.”
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Mitha initially made Dreamcatchers for her friends and family before she began her bookbinding journey. In 2021, she officially started creating custom books after fulfilling a request from a friend. Her friend asked for a personalized book as a gift for his teacher, which marked the first time Mitha made a book for someone else. She had leftover materials and decided to make an extra book, which she gifted to her cousin. This event acted as a catalyst for what was to come.
“As time went on, I received several inquiries from friends, which made me realize that there was a genuine interest in my work. This feedback prompted me to consider pursuing bookmaking as an official endeavour. It was a friend who came up with the name “The Butterfly Factory” for my Instagram profile, and I embraced it as the perfect representation of my craft,” further added Mitha.
At the moment, Mitha is fully dedicated to building The Butterfly Factory. Additionally, she devotes some of her time to taking on freelance projects in copywriting and illustration.
Mitha’s work at The Butterfly Factory is centred around the concept of upcycling. She sources unused (or leftover) textiles from her friend’s studio, her friend’s mother’s tailoring unit, and various places near her home to craft her unique books. This prevents the fabric from being discarded, wasted, and ultimately burned. Mitha views this process as giving the textiles a “second chance at love”. For her, it’s not just merely giving a second chance to unused materials, but it has a deeper message that she upholds in her life too. She explained, “We are so quick to judge or hurt ourselves that we often forget to love ourselves first. We should give ourselves a second chance too and that’s when we will value ourselves more. I want people to experience that when they hold on to my creations. I want them to understand that you can give a second chance to anything, including yourself.”
With this philosophy in mind, she started The Butterfly Factory to upcycle and produce handmade, personalized journals, sketchbooks, postcards, flipbooks and bookmarks. Currently, she acquires paper for her books, but her goal is to eventually produce her own paper and achieve a fully sustainable product line in the near future.
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As part of her work, she truly enjoys the art of customization, taking the time to sit down with each client to fully grasp their individual needs. She finds the process to be exciting and fulfilling, as each client brings forward their unique ideas. She loves being able to bring these ideas to life for them. Her approach involves having conversations with the client to understand their envisioned design. Afterwards, she carefully translates their ideas into sketches and shares them with the client for their suggestions and approval. She understands that clients appreciate being able to visualize their designs, and this process is incredibly beneficial for them.
Once the client gives the green light, she begins the creative process, ensuring that every detail is attended to with care. Depending on the level of customization, she typically completes a project within one to ten days, ensuring that the final product meets the client’s expectations. Shipping takes an additional three days.
Mitha’s pricing at The Butterfly Factory is based on the level of customization. The prices for her products start from INR 1000 and can go up depending on the customisation. Additionally, customers have the option to choose hampers that include their notebooks and other items.
One thing Mitha mentioned to me is how much people value having something special to call their own. When they share their design ideas with her, it’s like sharing a piece of their story that they want to see come alive in the books she creates. It’s what makes each book extra unique and personal. If you have a story you want to cherish forever, you’ll know exactly where to find the perfect way to do it.
You can place an order with The Butterfly Factory on Instagram – just drop a DM.
