Have a look around and you can see almost everywhere colorful, life size, real-looking flex ads and banners and posters. This modern art doesn’t involve as much arduous effort and expense as its time-consuming, less appealing predecessors did was a huge plus point in making it a hit everywhere. It is sporty and handy, and comes in different sizes and shapes, almost as you visualized. Cloth banners and paper posters had almost died a slow death at the advent of their modern, trendy, and vivacious cousin, flex banner. The artists and painters, who earned their daily bread through this craft, had to look for other openings as they were less in demand in the market.
But, not all is lost. At least, that seems to be the case in Kerala. Campaign materials made of paper and cloth are in high demand now with the State Election Commission imposing a ban on the use of plastic-made banners, posters and flyers. The commission has made it clear that the local body elections should be plastic-free. If the ban imposed stays, it is again golden era for the few painting workers who persisted in their profession.
One’s gain is another’s loss. People making a living by printing and producing flex boards have come out against the State Election Commission (SEC) directive. They have belly that feels hunger too! The district unit of the Flex Printing Owners Association of Kerala, in a statement here, has demanded that the Election Commission review the ban. “Contrary to popular belief, flex is not made of plastic. The basic material used in flex is cloth and calcium powder. PVC is used minimally to give it an outer coating for shining,” said M. Kunhayin, the association’s secretary. Mr. Kunhayin said that flex was not harmful to the environment and was reusable and biodegradable. He said more than one lakh people in the State were dependent on the flex industry. A ban on the use of flex would adversely affect the 750-odd flex units in the State, he said.
However, one shouldn’t forget that the ban is imposed only to prevent the use of plastic and such harmful material in the campaign; to make the election plastic-free. Which means this phase is not going to stay forever and they could do their business for any other ads and purposes. In the case of traditional painters, it will be a time to regain their lost popularity and some bucks too!