Bhutanese Handmade Paper

Bhutan is said to be a land of mystery and magic cradled deep in the folds of Great Himalayas. Paper has been made in the Himalayas from a long period of time, traditionally to supply the Buddhist monasteries with paper for woodblock and manuscript books. Bhutanese paper is noted for its striking physical presence and high quality.

Bhutanese papers are widely made in Trashi Yangste, Khaling and Yonphula in remote Eastern Bhutan. The most common and popular papers of Bhutan are resho and tsasho papers. These papers are made from the bark of the de-nar plant, a variety of daphne. It is a dark woody paper fiber found only in Bhutan. In Spring the de-nar has white flowers and you find it growing in profusion among stands of bamboo, rhododendron and moss covered blue pine. These beautiful papers are also made of Edgeworthia popularly known as kozo. Bhutanese Handmade Paper is made without environmental damage to the land.

Paper made from Daphne

Crisp, acid free, uniform paper with swirling, slightly iridescent fibers. Perfect for that print that demands a paper that both looks handmade and prints consistently well. Strong enough to withstand multiple block printing. The paper does not tear easily. Daphne would be beautiful for calligraphy as well as printmaking. Weight and color may vary from batch to batch.

Paper made from Edgeworthia

A lighter weight version of Daphne, made with slightly finer iridescent fibers Perfect for calligraphy or book arts as well as printmaking. Made in Bhutan using the traditional Japanese method. Color and weight may vary from batch to batch or even sheet to sheet.

Application of Bhutanese Paper

Traditionally, in Bhutan the paper has been used in relief printing, wood block and silk-screen methods. They are also used to write prayers and mantras. These days they are used for book binding, envelopes and stationery, conservation , restoration and artists books. Intricate designs can be printed on the Bhutanese papers by etchings, aqua tints, mono prints, collegraphs, lithographs, etc. Several beautiful paintings can be made using Watercolors, Sumi, and Acryli.

Bhutan Paper Industry

Hand-made paper in Bhutan sells well on both the domestic and foreign markets. Demand from Sweden and the United Kingdom amounts to about 30,000 sheets a year. Japan, Austria and the U.S. have also purchased a few thousand sheets as samples.