Traditional Bhutanese Papermaking

Traditional Bhutanese papermaking, known as dezo, is one of the country’s thirteen traditional arts and crafts, or zorig chusum. The finished paper, commonly called desho, is made primarily from the fibrous inner bark of Daphne shrubs. Historically, this durable paper was used for religious manuscripts and other written records. It is now also made into books, cards, envelopes, wrapping paper, calendars, and decorative stationery.

These photographs document production at the Jungshi Handmade Paper Factory in Thimphu in December 2010. In the traditional process, the bark is cleaned, boiled, and beaten into pulp before being suspended in water. A papermaker distributes the fibers evenly across a framed screen, drains the water, and transfers or dries the newly formed sheet. The plant fibers create the paper’s characteristic texture, while leaves, petals, and other natural materials may be incorporated into decorative papers.