The Daphne, or ‘Lokta’ Shrub Gives Good Paper. And We Like it—A'Lokta (See What I Did There!?)
That’s right; the Nepalese paper plant does what it says on the box and more. This humble bush grows quickly and efficiently throughout Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam and even into Sichuan (Chilli anyone?) and North-West Yunan. It traditionally provided fodder for a plethora of aesthetically pleasing and valuable products, including prayer books and official documents.
(Side note. The religious theme in stationary history runs strong! See last week’s blog for proof. Hint: Who’da’thunk priests would need posters?)
Let's not get distracted. The long fibres of the shrub are strong and stick to one another without additives. Plus, they regenerate quickly (an evolutionary trick, I am guessing, so it doesn't rot during monsoon season). What a clever plant!
At 60 gsm, the paper is a superbly balanced weight, enough to be used for all crafting pursuits. In fact, there's 'A'Lokta' uses for it (So nice, I used the same pun twice! Cue vintage car horn accompanied by all the lol emojis).
Of course, wrapping gifts comes as an obvious use. But this wonder paper is way more versatile than you'd otherwise consider. Because it is vaguely transparent, it is also a gorgeous choice for more adventurous projects such as lantern-making (the interior illumination will make the patterned options even more aesthetically pleasing).
Look no further if you’re into origami, bookbinding, or block printing. If you’re an artist wanting to create a collage or a product photographer needing an interesting layout, this paper is picture-perfect. The Daphne does not disappoint in any craft activity, calling for colour and beautiful texture.
The Lokta paper we have here at Pulp is ready for your consideration. We have a range of plain colours: Indigo, soft jade, dark grey, natural, white, green, red, marine, celery yellow, sage and soft pale rose. We also have a light blue polka dot and seed patterns in grey and beige.
Look at all those deliciously clickable links! Yes, I did that just for you and your dopamine receptors. Thank me later. Also, the links are handy if you need to order Lokta paper online (from us) so you can do what you want to do with it. Which - I hope to have sufficiently conveyed- is anything really!