Love classy sloths? We’ve got you covered. Want something subtle, yet fun? Got that too. Or keep it plain and simple, depending on how you want to use it. And there are so many ways: to stick up posters or artwork without damaging the paint on a wall, make gift wrapping fancier when using brown wrapping paper, or wing it and get creative with making paper art.
In Japanese, the word ‘washi’ means “Japanese paper” (wa - 和 Japanese / shi - 紙 paper). A clever Korean Monk -Priest Doncho- introduced Chinese papermaking processes to Japan in 610AD. The Internet rabbit hole for washi paper and tape is deep but fascinating. I recommended spending a moment or two dedicated to searching and reading about the traditions of the history of washi craftsmanship. For those short on time- in a nutshell- the process used natural fibres such as kozo (the inner bark of the mulberry tree), bamboo, gampi (a Japanese shrub), rice and mitsumata (a pretty and understated plant otherwise known as Edgeworthia chrysantha).
Washi paper is beautiful, delicate, and evocative of simplicity and elegance. Think of perfectly folded origami or an impeccably wrapped gift.
Washi tape has the same aesthetic. It is predominantly made from rice paper, and combines the beauty of the paper with the technical convenience of rubber adhesive tape.
Kamoi Kakoshi is the OG of washi tape in modern Japan. They manufacture the familiar MT branded tape you can buy at Pulp and other specialty paper stores. The company has manufactured adhesive tape for practical purposes since 1960. And, as the story goes, in 2006, three women from Tokyo approached the company to show how they used their ‘industrial tape’ in craft projects. From there, the powers that be in the company were inspired to develop and sell decorative ‘washi’ tape for other like minded crafters.
You can be one too, and -of course- shop all brands, colours and patterns of washi paper and tape online with us.