Nepalese papermaking is an unusual hybrid of techniques that were influenced by both Japan and India. Because of the climate, the herding culture and the isolation of the area, papermaking was usually performed by shepherds during the long months each year that they tended to their flocks near the forest edge. Because they travelled considerable distances from their villages, it was essential that most of the supplies needed could be found readily along the way. The daphne (the Nepalese version of gampi) grows abundantly and can be pounded with stones to prepare the pulp before cooking. A stream or even a ditch filled with water serves as the vat. The moulds are made of bamboo, are lightweight and portable. The "traditional" method of papermaking is performed by placing the mould into the vat and then floating the pulp on top of the mould. When the fibers have been distributed to the papermaker's satisfaction, the mould is then lifted from the vat. This technique produces delightfully inconsistent sheets, each with its own individual character.
BAMBOO SILKSCREEN - handmade solid color lokta sheets silkscreened with a pattern of bamboo leaves; 4 deckles.
Colors:
Green
Nutmeg
Orange
Red
Turquoise
Yellow
All colors
Gsm
20" x 30"
110
$4.80/sh
BANANA BARK - handmade from recycled banana bark. Lighter background densely covered with swirls of darker fibers. 4 deckles.
BANANA TISSUE - handmade from recycled banana bark. Crisp tissue in a natural earth tone with swirls of fine fibers and bark flecks.
20" x 28"
40 gsm
$3.75/sh
click on thumbnails to enlarge
Banana Tissue
Chautara Lokta Pumpkin
Chautara Lokta Olive Green
Chautara Lokta Cranberry
Chautara Lokta Gold
CHAUTARA LOKTA - handmade; finest quality daphne yields sheets that are very consistent in surface and color. Smooth surface with a light sheen. 4 deckles, neutral pH.
* limited supply
brown bark, gold, kiwi, medium green, sea green, walnut
Colors:
Amber
Banana
Black
Blue
Brick
Cranberry
Deep Orange
Deep Yellow
Denim
Eggplant
Espresso
Forest
Fuchsia
Gold
Grass Green
Jade
Latte
Light Blue
Mint
Moss
Mustard
Natural
Navy Blue
Olive Brown
Olive Green
Parrot Green
Pebble
Periwinkle
Pink
Pumpkin
Purple
Red
Robin's Egg Blue
Sage
Sapphire Blue
Sea Green
Shrimp
Terra Cotta
Turquoise
Violet
Walnut
Yellow
All Colors
Gsm
20" x 26"
65
$3.96/sh
Image:
Lokta Paper Drying Outdoors
DID YOU KNOW
Chautara is a town which lies about 100 kms east of Nepal's capital city, Kathmandu. It is also a word which designates village resting places made of stone, usually built around a planted tree.
"FORTUNY" CREPE - handmade and irregularly pleated both vertically and horizontally, allowing it to stretch into other shapes or onto three dimensional forms.
Colors:
Chartreuse
Moss Green
Natural
All Colors
Gsm
16" x 28"
35
$2.25/sh
LOKTA EMBOSSED SQUARES - handmade, natural lokta embossed with a square pattern. 4 deckles.
All Colors
Gsm
20" x 30"
40 gsm
$4.00/sh
LHAKPA HANDMADES
These sheets are made in the Himalayas at the highest elevation that supports life! Using traditional Nepalese papermaking techniques, the beaten fiber is floated on the mould and then lifted from the vat. To insure the finest quality, Lhakpa have constructed their vats from concrete rather than utilizing a ditch or a pond as most papermakers in this area do. These are some of the largest handmade papers in the world, and exceptional examples of Nepalese papers. Neutral pH; 4 deckles.
LHAKPA NATURAL - 100% natural undyed daphne. One side smooth, one side rough.
Size
Gsm
8½"x 11"
30
$0.75/ea
12½"x 18½"
50
$2.00/ea
27½"x 39
60
$6.50/ea
39" x 68"
40
$18.00/ea
39" x 68"
60
$30.00/ea
58" x 118"
60
$80.00/ea.
LHAKPA BLACK - 100% daphne. Densely pigmented, almost metallic finish.
Size
Gsm
27½"x 39"
150
$12.50/ea
39" x 68½"
150
$60.00/ea
LHAKPA BLOCK PRINTS - hand printed with traditional animal and decorative patterns. Red and black ink on natural handmade paper.
Series A
Gsm
20" x 27"
65
$3.25/sh
DECORATIVE BLOCK & SCREEN PRINTS - colored papers hand printed with patterns through traditional block printing, or hand silkscreening.
Patterns for Series A
Scarab on Green
Scarab on Orange
Spiral Gold on Lavender
Spiral Gold on Orange
White Floral on:
Blue
Lavender
Lime
Natural
Pink
Red
Turquoise
Series A
Gsm
20" x 27"
65
$3.25/sh
Patterns for Series B
Butterfly on Blue
Butterfly on Lt Green
Flower on Blue
Series B
Gsm
20" x 27"
65
$3.90/sh
Last 4 thumbnails at right full size sheets
COMING SOON - SERIES C
Patterns for Series D
Circles
Black on Sand
Squares
Black on Sand
Gold on Black
Series D
Gsm
20" x 27"
65
$5.80/sh
Lhakpa Natural 60 gsm
Lhakpa Black 150 gsm
Lhakpa Natural 40 gsm
Lhakpa Print Hands
Lhakpa Print Fish
Lhakpa Print Leaves
Lhakpa Print Armoured Fish
Lhakpa Print Eyes
Lhakpa Print Chicken
Lhakpa Print Feet
Lhakpa Print Guinea Hen
Lhakpa Print Elephant
Lhakpa Print Diagonal Stripe
Lhakpa Print Zig Zag
Lhakpa Print Vines Leaves
Scarab on Green
Scarab on Orange
Butterfly on Blue
Butterfly on Lt Green
Flower on Blue
White Floral on Blue
White Floral on Lavender
White Floral on Red
White Floral on Natural
White Floral on Lime
White Floral on Turquoise
White Floral on Pink
Spiral Gold on Orange
Spiral Gold on Lavender
Squares Black on Sand
Squares Black on Gold
Circles Black on Sand
Heavy Natural/Dark Brown
Heavy Rust/Dark Brown
Heavy Natural/Rust
Heavy Gold/Olive
Heavy Golden Brown/Natural
Heavy Olive/Dark Brown
Heavy Tan/Dark Brown
Heavy Taupe/Umber
Heavy Tan/Light Brown
Pinto Walnut
Pinto Chestnut
Pinto Praline
Pinto Buckskin
Pinto Ivory
Long Stripe Curry
Long Stripe Green
Long Stripe Chocolate
Long Stripe Blue
Long Stripe Mauve
Hand Marbled Multi
Hand Dyed Sky
Hand Dyed Sea
Hand Dyed Forest
Hand Dyed Sunset
Folded Dyed Yellow/Green
Folded Dyed Red/Blue
NEPAL HAND DYED - handmade and hand dyed with natural vegetable dyes. Sheets are splotched in two tones and resemble pony or cow hides.
