FINE DE-SHO paper, handmade paper from Bhutan

This handmade paper is made on a laid mould of split bamboo which gives a laid pattern to the sheet. The paper is couched and dried on a mud wall... which takes longer than some other traditional methods. Traditionally, Tsasho is used in Tibetan Buddhist Monasteries for manuscripts and woodcut prints.

Papermaking is a skill that has been nurtured in Bhutan for ages and it has been mainly used for domestic and religious purposes. The papers are mainly made from the inner bark or bast fibre of the Daphne plant.

Suitable for drawing in ink, calligraphy, printmaking, collage etc. I think this is one of my all-time favourite papers to use for calligraphy... it has a lovely texture with some 'tooth' to it.

*NB: Colours may appear slightly differently on different screens, also the colour of handmade papers may vary slightly between batches.

Jungshi Handmade paper factory was established in 1990 in an effort to manufacture Bhutanese handmade papers commercially for Bhutan and to export to other countries. The Jungshi paper factory continues to preserve and promote this age-old Bhutanese tradition. It also produces various other products, such as stationery and greeting cards.

Visitors can visit the factory in Thimphu city where you can watch workers prepare, soak, boil, and clean fibers before pounding them into pulps and swirl them on bamboo screens.