Handmade in Nepal · tree-free lokta
Handmade Lokta Wrapping Paper
Natural lokta paper, made by hand in Nepal, with a soft, fabric-like feel and the vintage look of old paper. Sheets are 20 × 30 inches, rolled ten to a pack, and the prints are silk-screened by hand.
Extra-thick natural lokta, 150–160 gsm, no coloring or dyes
- Sheet
- 20 × 30 in
- Pack
- 10 sheets, rolled
- Weight
- Natural (Epic) is 150–160 gsm, as thick as card stock; every other paper is 75–80 gsm. Both vary a little from sheet to sheet due to being handmade
- Prints
- Silk-screened by hand with synthetic, azo-free inks
- Colors
- Solid colors use synthetic, azo-free dyes; Saffron, Sarne and Madder Root are vegetable dyed
- Made in
- Nepal, following a 1,000-year-old tradition
Nature's Texture
Lokta Paper has a natural texture to it due to the hand-crafting process. Flecks from the outer bark can be seen in the paper making each page unique and special and giving it that antique paper look and feel.
One side of the paper is relatively smooth where the paper formed against the boxed screen. You can even see the tiny crisscross pattern created by the screen. The reverse side has a natural texture to it, and is the “sun-kissed” side.
More about this paper
Handmade in the Himalayas
Wrap your Gift in Something Truly Special
Handmade Lokta Wrapping Paper feels like no other paper. It's soft, yet sturdy and makes a gift truly unique.
Following a 1,000-year-old tradition in paper making in Nepal, our natural Lokta Paper is the perfect alternative to regular tree-based wrapping paper.
Cuttings from the lokta bush are cooked into a pulpy mash and then spread by hand over boxed screens and set to dry in the Himalayan sun, forming one of the world's finest tree-free papers.
- Tree-Free Paper
- A product of bushes (not trees) that grow natively in the Himalayas of Nepal.
- Vintage Look
- Flecks of bark in the paper give it the look and feel of antique paper.
- Renewable
- Lokta bushes regrow quickly after being cut, regaining full height in 5-7 years.
Tough Yet Soft Handmade Paper
Handmade Gift Wrap Like No Other
Lokta paper has a unique feel to it sometimes compared to a fabric-like paper. The gift wrap measures 20 x 30 inches and comes in packs of 10 sheets.
Using Lokta paper is like stepping back in time and handling an important document. The paper is also great for crafts, hobbies, special occasions as well as for use in scrapbooking and origami.
- Pack of 10 Sheets
- 10 Sheets come rolled in each pack.
- Measures 20 x 30 Inches
- Each individual sheet measures 20 x 30 inches.
Busy Bee wrapping paper
Honoring the Honey Hunters
Nepal’s honey hunters brave cliffs like this one to reach the giant combs of wild bees. Our Busy Bee print, on honey-yellow lokta, honors their tradition.
Handmade Wrapping Paper
Which wrap?
Every sheet is handmade lokta at 20 × 30 inches. The natural wrap is the thick one; the rest are the same paper printed by hand, colored, or vegetable dyed.
Natural (Epic)
Bestseller · extra thickNatural Lokta paper (no coloring or dyes) made with our extra thick "Epic" lokta paper.
Prints
Silk-screened by hand with synthetic, azo-free inks.
Busy Bee
Nepal is famous for its honey hunters that brave steep cliffs to harvest honey. Honoring that tradition is this bee print on a beautiful honey yellow color.
Fantastic Fan (Natural)
Natural Golden - Natural Lokta Paper with a golden fan print, perfect for a special occasion.
Fantastic Fan (Dark Green)
A rich and dark green color reminiscent of the evergreens which grow high in the Himalayan Mountains.
Solid Colors
Synthetic, azo-free dye colors the whole sheet.
Dark Green
A rich and dark green color reminiscent of the evergreens which grow high in the Himalayan Mountains.
Vegetable Dyed
Vegetable (plant-based) dyes provide a beautiful option for the wrapping paper. Vegetable dyes can vary slightly in color from season to season.
Madder Root
One of the oldest vegetable dyes in the world, used for centuries in Turkey, Iran, and India and is used to give the paper its distinctive color.
Saffron
The rich yellow color is derived from Natural Saffron, a traditional dye dating back centuries in the Himalayas. Deep saffron color is often associated with sacrifice and a “quest for light.”
Sarne
Lokta paper with a beautiful light green color created from the natural sarne vegetable dye.
Wrapping with lokta
How big a gift does one sheet wrap?
A 20 × 30 inch sheet covers a shirt box or a book with room to fold; larger gifts take two sheets joined along the long edge.
Which side goes out?
Either. One side is smoother where it formed against the screen; the sun-kissed side has more texture. Both take tape and ribbon.
It arrives rolled. How do I flatten it?
Unroll the sheet, curl it gently the other way, then let it rest under a few books overnight.
Natural Lokta
Vintage Wrapping Paper
The soft texture and antique look of lokta give any gift a vintage feel. The paper is tough, too, and many gift recipients save it for crafts or their next gift.
The paper is available with prints and solid colors made with synthetic, azo-free inks and dyes, as well as vegetable (plant-based) dyes.
Prayer flags in the Himalayas
Help Support Talented Nepalese Artisans
Thank you for helping to preserve a 1,000-year-old tradition in Nepali paper making.