What is Lokta Paper?

Hello on a windy, rainy summer day!  Perfect for writing an article for my blog!  As part of my blogs, I want to tell you a bit about different kinds of papers and their uses.  This week I am very busy in the process of making lots of cards that are partly made from beautiful Lokta Paper.  So, today is the turn of Lokta Paper! So what is it?

Gold Lokta Paper

Lokta Paper is made from the bark of the Lokta bush, or ‘Paper Tree’, found in the mountainous region around Kathmandu in Nepal. A species of the Daphne family, the evergreen Lokta bush, which grows to 10 feet high, is found at over 6500 feet above sea level and is pruned every four years for it stalks which are then used to make the paper.

 

Green Lokta Paper

Lokta collection begins each October and is harvested in a similar way to sugar cane by cutting it 6” from the ground.  The bark is stripped and soaked in water to soften.  After washing, the bark is cooked and beaten using a bamboo rod.  Using anything heavier than the bamboo rod would make the fibres too weak.  This pulp is then used to make the handmade paper, which is dried on its frame in the sun.  

Red Lokta Paper

The plant re-grows and is ready for harvesting again every 4 to 6 years.  Because of this re-growth, Lokta Paper provides an important industry for the Nepalese living in the mountainous regions.  The majority of the producers of the paper are women, and it provides them with a sustainable income - it is the areas only export crop.

Turquoise Lokta Paper

The paper has been used in Nepal since the 12^th century to write epic tales, to print mantra for use in prayer wheels and for religious texts.  It is so long lasting and durable that it has historically been used by the Nepalese for legal documents.  It is even used in remote places as plasters on cuts and fractures!

Violet Lokta Paper

We however do not use is it to help heal our wounds!  It has a beautiful rough, attractive texture due to the handmade process.  It is perfect for book binding, origami, gift wrapping, scrapbooking, and (as I am using it) for card making.  But really it can be used for anything that your imagination can think of.

I will let you know when I have my cards made from Lokta Paper ready for sale, but you can buy the papers at PaperToots right now!