Lokta Paper

Lokta paper which has legacy from Nepal much before China is natural and is made using stones, tree bark and fiber collected from different plants, and based on the availability the texture of the paper varies and is exquisite in terms of feel.

The process is simple and handmade, comprising of dissolving the paper pulp and evenly distributing it as a layer and letting it dry. Traditionally, paper is made of pulp from fiber collected from different plants. Based on what plant is found in a particular locality, the process and texture of paper making slightly differ. In Nepal, paper is made of the inner bark of a shrub /bush called Lokta, found abundantly in some 20 hilly districts in Nepal covering around 1 million sq. meters.

The process of making Lokta paper is entirely organic and manual. Right from picking up the inner bark from Lokta bushes to processing it for pulp extraction and then ultimately into making paper sheets are done by local villagers. Inner bark of lokta is boiled to extract the pulp. Pulp is washed using ash. Once the pulp is ready, it is dissolved into water and wooden frames to catch the pulp evenly across as a layer which is then sun-dried to make paper.

This is what  makes it an Eco-friendly and sustainable source of paper which is exactly what our world needs to adopt into their lifestyles. The immense hard work and nifty skill of the artisans used in the process of making the Lokta paper  makes this paper durable, highly resistant to water and insects , and aesthetically pleasing. Besides writing, Lokta paper has found use for making wonderful lamp shades, wall decorations, pretty journals and various other stationery items, thereby capturing the essence of nature in our daily lives.