Papers at Shakti Shoji

As you can see, the colors and textures of these exotic papers can be quite spectacular and dramatic.

Due to the fragile nature of many papers, we often adhere the paper to plastic sheet.

If you are interested in Shakti Shoji screens, there are several things to consider about papers:

Exotic papers come in various sizes.  The size of the exotic papers can determine how big a design element or a panel can be. 

Exotic papers are often hand made, and made in batches that can effect the color and texture  of papers.   Many exotic papers available one day will not be available the next.   If you see a paper you like and want for shoji, buy a bunch of it.The price of exotic papers can vary considerably.  This expense will be reflected in the price of the screen.

  Thus far, we have found that exotic papers hold up much better if adhered to a thin plastic or acetate sheet. 

Metallic papers work well for accents and often have one color by day and another at  night.

Where strength, durability and water resistance are desired, the strongest material we have found is a 2mm thick acrylic plate material  made by Warlon in Japan.  Similarly, fiberglass "synskin" is very durable, holds up well to weather, and complements exotic papers nicely. 

There are several other Warlon materials, some coated with PVC for strength and water resistance that come in varying thicknesses. They are generally white or amber colored. 

More recently, Hi-Tec Kozo papers have emerged in response to the desire for an alternative to the PVC papers.    They are apparently stronger than the PVC and feel more natural.

At Shakti Shoji, we are always refining the art of using exotic papers in conjunction with more durable materials to combine beauty and practicality in our shoji screens.   Thus far, our most beautiful Shakti Shoji are have been made with Thai Unryu papers along with synskin or Warlon.

If you wish, we have sample pieces of papers we have worked with and can send them to you. A far greater selection of papers made for shoji and paper samples can also be found at www.eshoji.com .   We invite you to explore their selection.