Nepali handmade lokta paper is an environmentally friendly and sustainable resource that is harvested and produced naturally. The bark of lokta is harvested by hand without destroying the plant and the Lokta bush naturally regenerates, reaching full maturity again in six to seven years.

The making of Nepali handmade lokta paper is an ancient skill passed down through generations, and starts with villagers gathering the lokta inner bark in the forest. They carry the bark back to the village, where local paper makers wash it in a stream. The fibre is then put into large oil drums and the inner bark is boiled.

The softened bark is washed and cut into small pieces and cooked again. The soft, cooked bark is placed on a flat stone and beaten to a fine pulp with wooden mallets. Water is then mixed with the pulp to form a homogeneous emulsion. The whole process is done by hand, as there is no electricity in the villages.

When the pulp is ready, it is sent to a village close to Kathmandu. This pulp mixture is then diluted and poured over a fine cotton mesh screen that floats on a pool of water. The frame is gently shaken to spread the pulp evenly and then set to dry in the sun. Once the mixture has dried, the sheet of paper is peeled off the frame.

This paper is free from any chemical treatments and no bleach or chlorine is used in its making. It is totally natural. Lokta paper is wood free and can be recycled. Lokta paper is not made from recycled or waste paper materials. And it gives work to many mountain villages who prepare the fibre for paper making.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Handmade-Paper—How-Lokta-Paper-is-Made-in-Nepal&id=2302633