Leaf Bamboo - Full Sheet

In Japan, the botanical name for bamboo is ‘sasa’. Look closely at the pattern of this delicate, handmade paper and you will see the resemblance to a bamboo stalk. These papers are especially lovely when layered with another paper or used in a way that allows light to shine through them.

The inner barks of three plants, all native to Japan, are used primarily in the making of washi. Kozo (mulberry) is said to be the masculine element, the protector, thick and strong. It is the most widely used fibre, and the strongest. It is grown as a farm crop, and regenerates annually, so no forests are depleted in the process. The kozo fibre is an unusually long and durable fibre and contributes to the strength of these seemingly delicate papers.