Mulberry paper is made from the inner bark of the paper
mulberry tree. The long fibres of the paper mulberry make it ideal for paper
making. The bark is boiled to soften it, soaked and then beaten to a pulp. The
pulp is spread out onto screens and allowed to dry. Mulberry paper can also be
machine made in a paper mill.
Mulberry paper was first made in China about 2000 years
ago. It was the beginning of paper as we know it today. Up until this point,
people wrote on hides, papyrus or clay tablets.
Almost all mulberry papers are made in the far east where
the paper mulberry tree is native and grows abundantly. The paper mulberry tree
does grow in North America and mulberry paper is made in Canada and the U.S. as
an art or craft.
Sheets of mulberry paper have a deckled edge which can be
used as is. You can cut mulberry paper with scissors or a paper trimmer. You
can easily tear mulberry paper to get a lovely, feathered edge. If you wet the
paper where you want it to tear, you can create lots of different shapes.
Mulberry paper comes in lots of different colours and
designs. Some of it is so pretty that you could frame it! You buy mulberry
paper in sheets, but you can also buy flowers that have been made from mulberry
paper. These little gems are a great for cardmaking.
You can stamp on mulberry paper. You can use if for
printmaking. It can be used for decoupage and origami. Calligraphy looks
amazing on mulberry paper. Need a unique gift-wrapping paper? Mulberry paper
might just be what you are looking for. You can even use mulberry paper in your
Sizzix or Cuttlebug embossing folders.
