Thai Handmade Paper

Paper making was introduced to Thailand by the Japanese and Koreans many centuries ago. In Thailand the mulberry tree, which is actually known as "sa" - grew in abundance and the world wide demand for maps, banknotes and other documents caused the sa paper production to flourish.

The exquisite handmade paper is ideal for craft projects of all types from gift boxes, picture frames, cards and books to home accessories such as lamp shades. Since, this environmentally friendly handmade paper is made from a renewable resource known as the Mulberry Tree, which is abundant, Thailand's paper industry is growing rapidly. The vibrant colors of these come from natural dyes and the handmade paper is acid free.

The Past and Present of the industry
The history of paper making in Thailand dates back to 700 years, when the basic use of paper was restricted to Buddhist texts, temple writings and ritual purposes. In those ancient times, paper was made only from the inner bark the Khoi tree. In the late 19th century the paper production began to decline because of shortage of Khoi tree. However, the paper industry again flourished in Thailand after the second world war, when Japan occupied the kingdom.

Thailand's paper industry has grown quite rapidly in the past decade. The country offers beautiful and decorative handmade papers, which has revolutionized the Asian paper market by supplying a vast array of reasonably priced, traditional oriental styles that can be used in many different creative processes. Like India, even Thailand, has responded to the western world's demand for inexpensive, but interesting, handmade papers. They produce a multitude of papers and keep a keen eye on the whims of the western paper-buying consumer, constantly improving and updating their offerings, giving us endless choices.

The Fabric Used
In Thailand handmade paper is popularly known as Mulberry paper or Saa paper and is commonly made from the bark of the mulberry trees. The process involves stripping off the bark from the trees, on annual bases, but in a way that ensures the tree is unharmed.

The Process
The manufacturing of Thai handmade paper is achieved basically by manual labor and, therefore, production of the paper is of limited quantity. The paper manufacturers uses local materials and follows ancient techniques that have been handed down for generations. The process involves growing up of the bark, down into a pulp and boiled to remove the glue that holds the fibers together. After this the pulp is washed and bleached and is then laid out on sheets of very fine screening. Sometimes, even flowers or other natural embellishments are added to the pulp and, thereby, the sheets are ready to be further processed.

Thai handmade paper is famous for being quaint, primitive and soft gentle with a appearance that makes it ideal for greeting cards, gift bags, stationary and boxes. As international demand for these products is increasing, new speciality papers are being developed which incorporate color dyes, flower petals and other materials into their design.