Japan’s ‘washi’ paper torn by modern life
Once an indispensable part of daily life in Japan, washi paper was used for everything, but demand has plunged as lifestyles have become more westernised.
Once an indispensable part of daily life in Japan, washi paper was used for everything, but demand has plunged as lifestyles have become more westernised.
It took an e-mail, a factory tour, two handmade books and the persistence of three women—a gallery owner, a graphic designer and a collage artist—to finally convince Kamoi Kakoshi, a Japanese company that had been producing flypaper and industrial masking tape for decades, to release more colorful rolls of their beloved tape. Since its successful launch in 2006, MT Masking Tape, Kamoi’s line of fun and functional rice paper tapes or washi tapes, has inspired other companies to release their own versions of the decorative tape.
WASHI your keyboard. And don’t worry about not being able to figure out which key to press—because washi tapes are slightly translucent, you’ll still be able to see the letters underneath. Or, do what Tatin did – she used the alphabet washi tape to cover the letter keys.
The washi tapes are categorized by design on the website, making it easy for us to find the ones we like. Each Hey Kessy package is lovingly wrapped, with a little tag with your name on it and that pretty little Hey Kessy sticker. (And we loved the limited-edition postcard we got with our order this month.) Hey Kessy also holds fun washi workshops , helping you discover what other wonders you can do with washi tape.
Are your rolls of washi sitting on your desk like cute and colorful trophies? If the answer is yes, then it’s time to join Hey Kessy’s Washi Workshops. Conducted by Mansy Abesamis, the workshops are designed to help you get started on washi projects while teaching you how to become more creative, too. She offers two kinds of workshops—the Hey Kessy Messy Washi Party and Wear Washi: Hey Kessy Washi and Twine Jewelry Workshop.
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