Standard grade 20 gram.
Approx A1 in size.

Entirley tree-free Lokta paper; featuring leaves and petals gathered by hand in the Himalayas. Available in the rose petal
& calendular petal design.

"The paper is made from the bark of the Lokta bush, an evergreen shrub of the Daphne species, found in the mountainous parts of Nepal above 6500 feet. They can grow up to 10 feet in height and 2 inches in diameter, and are usually ready to be pruned four years after they sprout.

Although there is no uniformity regarding the method of pruning, the modern method
employing sharp knives, is considered superior to the older, traditional practice of breaking and tearing down the stalks. The stalk should be at least 1 1/2 inches in diameter before it is considered ready to harvest. This insures the use of plants whose bark is easily removed, and which will yield a paper that is strong. The stalk is cut at least 8 inches above the ground so that the heart of the plant is not destroyed and it can easily grow again from its embedded roots. After the plant has been cut, its bark is removed and softened by soaking it in water for 72 hours; it is then cleaned the knots are removed, it's then washed in water, and dried before being stored. The dried, clean bark is cooked in a large vessel of water; the bark is properly cooked only when it breaks easily if stretched. Once cooked, it is rinsed and beaten on an iron or stone plate with a wooden rod. Using a heavier device can destroy the fibres, making the paper weak. The beaten solution is poured into a specially designed light wooden frame with a thin cloth stretched across it. The frame is placed on a flat surface and the solution is spread evenly across it, it is then placed out in the sun. Once dry, the paper is peeled away from the cloth and stored in a dry room. Paper prepared this way is light brown in color. White paper can also be made by hanging it outside for days until the effects of the sun bleach it white.

Handmade Nepalese paper, besides serving as a very durable writing material since ages past, is used by the native people for a variety of purposes. From making charms to ward off evil spirits to making attractive gift items, it is even employed by the people of the remote villages as a substitute for plaster to be applied to heal cuts and fractures. It has also found its way into use in religious rituals and for making incense.

The harvesting of Lokta also serves other important purposes as well. It allows the plants root growth to accelerate to help hold the soil in place during the two monsoon seasons Nepal gets every year, and it is the only export crop the remote villages have, thus giving them a sustainable form of income, making for a better standard of living. Historically, all Nepalese legal and legislative documents are printed on Lokta paper because it is so durable. This authentic tradition has caught on with international interest because of the environmentally sound, and natural production."