Origami And Folded Paper | Origami And Folded Paper Guide

Washi literally means 'Japanese paper' and refers to paper which is handmade using tradititonal techniques. Washi can be made from gampi bark, mitsumata branches (used in Japanese banknotes), mulberry bark, bamboo, rice, hemp or wheat. The use of these fibres makes washi much stronger than Western paper so can be made into clothes, toys etc as well as being perfect for origami and calligraphy.

Washi takes a long time to produce - it is often made in winter because cold spring water is needed. This prevents bacteria from degrading the fibres, so few chemicals are needed.

Kozo branches are boiled to enable the bark to be removed, then they are dried, boiled with lye (to remove starch), fat and tannin, then rinsed to remove the lye. The remaining fibres are bleached in a stream and impurities are removed by hand. It is then laid on a rock and beaten.

Pulp is mixed in a vat of water, then placed on a screen and shaken. If tororo root is added to the water, the washi will be thinner and suitable for calligraphy; plain water makes a thick paper for craft, clothes and of course, walls!

Washi paper can be left plain or printed with beautiful designs. For the best quality washi, large sheets of handmade paper are hand printed with motifs of flowers, scenes and lucky symbols, overlaid with gold and silver details. Originally, paper was printed in this way by kimono designers as paper samples were much cheaper to produce than silk ones. This is why washi designs are so much like kimono designs.

Packs of small washi papers can be used for origami, book covering, card making and scrapbooking and are very popular as Oriental design is always fashionable. Two modern forms of origami are Teabag Folding and Iris Folding; washi paper is perfect for both of these crafts as well as traditional decoupage and many other paper crafts.