FAQ

The durable fibers make the paper resistant to tearing, but lokta paper is not yak-proof, so take special consideration there.

As a natural product, Lokta paper includes specks or remnants from the bark of the Lokta bush. These flecks add distinction and beauty to the page.

Yes. In one of the last steps in the paper making process, the Lokta pulp from the bush is spread out on boxed screens and dried in the Himalayan sun.

The screens produce a beautiful texture that can be felt or seen upon close inspection.

The “sun-kissed” side retains a natural texture as the fibers solidify.

The paper feels soft (especially the deckle edge as there are no hard edges).

Some have described it as having a “fabric-like” feel to it which is due to the unique lokta fibers used to make the paper.

That would be a very high-fiber diet, but please don’t eat Lokta paper.

Lokta paper is designed for writing, printing, and crafts and has been used as such for over 1,000 years in Nepal.

It is not meant for or certified for wrapping food or spices.

Yes. For printers that can accept heavy-weight or card stock papers, we suggest loading one sheet at a time and selecting “Best Quality” and “Heavyweight Paper” in the print options. Laser printers work well with lokta paper.

For more printing tips, see our guide How to Print on Lokta Paper.

The smooth side. Each sheet of lokta has two sides: the smooth side, which formed against the screen, and the “sun-kissed” side, which has more texture and takes ink less evenly. Both sides can be printed on, but the screen side gives the best results.

Our Deluxe lokta card stock is made by the washi (Japanese paper) method, so it is smooth on both sides and either side works.

Both work. Our clean-cut printer paper is calendered smooth enough for inkjet and laser printers. Deckle-edge paper does best in a laser printer, so if an inkjet has trouble with the deckle edges, try a laser printer if you have access to one.

For card stock, use a printer that can take card stock. Laser printers are preferred, but inkjets work as well. Whichever you use, feed one sheet at a time, through the rear or manual tray if your printer has one.

Our printing guide walks through the best settings on a Mac or Windows computer.

Paper weight is measured in gsm (grams per square meter): the higher the number, the thicker and stiffer the sheet. For comparison, everyday copy paper is usually about 75 gsm. Because every sheet is made by hand, the weight varies a little from sheet to sheet.

Really, any pen you like. Different pens: ballpoint, rollerball, gel, glass dip pens, and fountain pens all work on lokta paper, but different variations within each group may work better to your liking.

Try out your favorite type of pen, but exploring different pen types and thickness (micro, fine, regular, bold) can be fun as well.

Pens will usually be rated with an ink thickness rating in millimeters. These can vary by pen type, but 0.5mm and below is usually considered micro (very thin ink-line), 0.7mm is fine/medium, and 1.0mm and above as bold.

We like the vibrant color that 0.7mm gel and rollerball pens provide as most are fade-proof and waterproof. Fountain pens with a fine nib and waterproof ink for permanence are also a great choice.

Check out our humble pen guide for more info on pens.

Different inks, pen types, pressure and stroke speed can produce different results on any paper.

If you have a pen that lays down the ink thick as in a medium or thick fountain pen nib, or 0.7 or higher gel pen, you may see ghosting or even some bleed through.

If you’re concerned about bleed through or ghosting, we suggest you look at our Nepali Eco Clean-cut Epic journals which have paper twice as thick as our standard paper.

Feathering refers to the ink spreading out into the paper (as opposed to through it).

Because of the fibrous nature of the paper, there can be some minimal feathering depending on the type of ink used.

For most of our leather journals, the leather comes from Water Buffalo hides and is vegetable tanned.

At this time, we’re not able to customize/personalize orders with engraving. However, many engraving/trophy shops offer engraving services such as laser engraving where you could have your journal personalized.

Our journals and paper are sold on Amazon.com and in our Etsy shop.

Yes, to some international markets. The shipping options for your country appear at checkout; Amazon orders follow Amazon’s export rules and guidelines.

Yak mail is currently not available in your country.

Regular shipping speed options will appear on the Amazon checkout page with 1-day, 2-day, and standard shipping as the most common options.

Due to our current partnerships, we don’t offer a wholesale or distributor program at this time.

If you are interested in bulk discounts or promotions, head on over to our newsletter page where we offer a discount code for email subscribers and periodically share other promotions and discounts.

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