Nepal paper is a type of paper that dates back to the 12th century and is one of the types of handmade paper used since then. Nepal paper is the most preferred type of paper in traditional arts and is famous for being quite durable. If you are involved in traditional arts, trying to choose paper for yourself or have no idea about these papers, continue reading! What is Nepal paper? What is it for? How is it made? We will answer the questions.
What is Nepal paper?
Nepal paper is made from the laurel tree, which grows at altitudes between 1800 meters and 3000 meters and has a high fiber structure. The laurel tree, also known as the lokta tree, is a tree that grows for 4 to 6 years. The inner fibers of this tree from which Nepal paper is made are long and flexible. In this way, it provides a strong and flexible paper. Nepal paper is an acid-free paper, no chemicals are used in its production, and it is completely environmentally friendly. This type of paper, which has a very soft texture, creates beautiful folds when torn. Due to its unique texture, it is used in many traditional art forms such as miniature, calligraphy and illumination. There are other areas where Nepalese paper is used.
How is Nepalese paper made?
As we mentioned above, Nepalese paper is produced from the laurel tree, which grows at altitudes of approximately 2000 meters or higher in the Himalayas. The other known name for the laurel tree is lok. The growth period of this tree is quite long, it completely renews itself within 4 to 6 years. For this reason, the process is started by peeling the inner bark without damaging the roots of the tree for paper production. This situation makes the production of Nepalese paper even more laborious. For this reason, it is a very valuable and rare type of paper.
A number of processes are followed in the production of Nepalese paper. First, after the bark of the tree is removed, it is boiled well for about 8 hours to soften the fibers in the bark and separate them into pieces. In this way, a soft paste is obtained. After the paste obtained is turned into dough, it is distributed evenly on the frames. At this stage, leaves and flowers can be laid on them to create striking papers. Then it is dried in the sun. The first technique to add patterns to paper is the screen printing technique. In the production of Nepalese paper, water-based dyes are used for each sheet. The second technique is to dye the paper with base dyes. No chemicals are used in any of the Nepalese paper production stages, so Nepalese paper is also very easy to recycle. The dyes used are obtained from plants and this method has been used in the production of Nepalese paper for centuries. Each stage of production has become traditional.
After the dyeing process, the paper is left to dry in the sun for a second time and then stacked one by one to make it ready for use.
What is Nepalese paper used for?
The areas of use of Nepalese paper are mostly traditional handicrafts. It is used in traditional art areas such as miniature, calligraphy and illumination. Since it is a solid paper, it has high absorbency. It is also used in the art of origami, the traditional paper folding art of Japan. Apart from these, it has also found a place in daily life. Since it is a flexible and strong paper, it is also used in recycled gift packages and book binding.
