Vintage Lokta Printer Paper - Handmade in Nepal Handcrafted in the Himalayas and used anciently for sacred texts, Lokta paper has been a staple of Nepalese artisans for centuries. The paper is made from Lokta bushes which grow on the southern slopes of the Nepali Himalayas between 5,250 and 13,000 feet. When properly cut, the bushes can produce three to eight new, fast-growing shoots making Lokta paper one of the most sustainable, tree-free papers. Also called Nepali Paper, Lokta paper is used for many official Nepali government documents. Lokta fibers are "cooked" in vats to soften and create a pulp that is spread over wood-framed screens and set to dry in the Himalayan sun. The paper is hand made in the rural, high altitude villages of Nepal and then carried down the Himalayas using the traditional paths and pack animals (donkeys) for transport. The fine texture from the screens can be seen and felt in the finished product adding to the beauty and uniqueness of the paper. Lokta paper is acid-free and is widely regarded as one of the world’s finest hand-made papers. Vintage Lokta Printer Paper - Handmade in Nepal Handcrafted in the Himalayas and used anciently for sacred texts, Lokta paper has been a staple of Nepalese artisans for centuries. The paper is made from Lokta bushes which grow on the southern slopes of the Nepali Himalayas between 5,250 and 13,000 feet. When properly cut, the bushes can produce three to eight new, fast-growing shoots making Lokta paper one of the most sustainable, tree-free papers. Also called Nepali Paper, Lokta paper is used for many official Nepali government documents. Lokta fibers are "cooked" in vats to soften and create a pulp that is spread over wood-framed screens and set to dry in the Himalayan sun. The paper is hand made in the rural, high altitude villages of Nepal and then carried down the Himalayas using the traditional paths and pack animals (donkeys) for transport. The fine texture from the screens can be seen and felt in the finished product adding to the beauty and uniqueness of the paper. Lokta paper is acid-free and is widely regarded as one of the world’s finest hand-made papers. Natural Madder Root Vegetable Dye for a Beautiful Color Madder root is one of the oldest plant dyes in the world, used for centuries in Turkey, Iran, and India and is used to give the paper its distinctive color. The Alizarin pigment in the root is the compound that helps produce the beautiful color of the lokta paper. A little goes a long way in giving the paper its earthen color as it takes to the lokta paper. Natural Madder Root Vegetable Dye for a Beautiful Color Madder root is one of the oldest plant dyes in the world, used for centuries in Turkey, Iran, and India and is used to give the paper its distinctive color. The Alizarin pigment in the root is the compound that helps produce the beautiful color of the lokta paper. A little goes a long way in giving the paper its earthen color as it takes to the lokta paper. Preserving an Ancient Paper-Making Tradition The oldest known surviving Lokta paper is a religious text, a copy of the Karanya Buha Sutra Buddhist text estimated to be 1,000 to 1,900 years old. Lokta paper crafting in Nepal has been handed down to each new generation of paper makers to the present day where lokta paper continues to be handcrafted. Thank you for supporting a 1,000-year-old paper-making tradition in Nepal.
