Nepali Handmade paper or Lokta is made from the bark of the "Lokta" bush (Daphne Cannabina/Papyracea), which grows naturally in the Himalayas at altitudes of 6500 to 9500 feet. In the heart of the Himalaya , Nepali crafts people have been producing Nepali handmade paper for over a thousand years. This long fibrous, acid-free hand made paper is renowned for its attractive texture, exceptional durability and strength. The people of Nepal continue to use Nepali handmade paper or lokta paper in their daily life and, until the Chinese occupation in 1959, traded it with Tibet where it was used in the monasteries for sacred texts.

Nepali handmade paper or Lokta paper is a sustainable resource and is harvested and produced naturally and the most important thing about Nepali handmade paper or lokta paper is that it is a very environmental friendly paper. After harvesting, the Lokta bush naturally regenerates, reaching full maturity again in six to seven years. The remarkable process of making this exceptional nepali handmade paper starts by gathering the bark in the altitudes of the Himalayas and then carrying it down to villages, where local paper makers clean and boil the inner bark. The boiled bark is beaten with wooden mallets, producing a pulp, then poured over screened wooden frames and dried in the Himalayan sunshine, just as it was a thousand years ago. It has been used in Nepal for thousands of years, prized for its attractive texture, its durability and strength of its paper fibers and its resistance to insects.

Lokta plants thrive in the under storey of both coniferous and broad leafed forests. Reaching a mature height of 10 to 15 feet with basal diameter ranging from 2 to 3 inches. The leaves grow 2 to 4 inches long and 0.5 to 1 inch wide. The flowers are white with a sweet smelling scent. The inner fibrous bark of this plant is the raw material used for the making of this Nepali handmade paper.

Nepali handmade or Lokta paper products (such as large, small, inlayed journals, and photo albums)are made from the bark of the Daphne Cannabina or Daphne Papyracea that is grown in the Mount Everest region of Nepal . The shrub, locally known as Lokta, grows in forests at an altitude of 6500 to 9500 feet. The bark of the Lokta is harvested by hand without destroying the plant. The Lokta then regenerates and can be re harvested in approximately 5 - 7 years.

The making of Nepali handmade or Lokta paper is an ancient skill passed down through generations, dating back more than a thousand years. The inner fibrous bark of the shrub is harvested, dried and cooked. Then, the softened bark is washed and cut into small pieces and cooked again. This soft, cooked bark is placed on a flat stone and beaten to a fine pulp. Water is then combined with the pulp to form a homogeneous emulsion. This new pulp mixture is poured into a wooden frame that floats on a pool of water. The frame is gently shaken to spread the pulp evenly, then set to dry in the sun. Once the mixture has dried, a sheet of paper is peeled off the frame.

Nepali handmade or Lokta paper is prized not only for its beauty, but also for its multiple uses. Prior to the Chinese annexation of Tibet , family-run factories in the Himalayas supplied paper to Tibetan monasteries for sacred manuscripts. Nepalese still use Lokta paper today for official government documents, bandages to heal minor cuts and wounds, and for wrapping paper to retain the potency of incense, spices and medicine.

By purchasing these paper products you are helping the Nepalese help themselves.

Himalayan Mart is an exporter and wholesaler of finest Nepali handmade paper or lokta paper with unusual range of handcrafted paper products We have a collection comprises beautiful and wide variety of Nepali paper products.. We also wholesale all of the paper products shown on our web site. We also accept special request (design/color) of Nepali paper products– please refer our “Wholesale Order” or “Order By Demand” section for detail or call us at 977-1-5547819 or Fax us at 977-1-5545657 or mail us at info@himalayanmart.com. for bulk order of any design, quantity Nepali handmade paper products.