लोक्ता कागज (Lokta Kagaj)
Lokta Kagaj (लोक्ता कागज) is Nepal's traditional handmade paper produced from the bark of Daphne bholua and Daphne papyracea shrubs (called lokta in Nepali) — the same botanical genus as Bhutanese dzo-sho (CRAFT-0538) but using a distinctly different production technique. While dzo-sho uses a gravity settling float technique, lokta paper uses a pour-and-press technique: the fiber slurry is poured over a woven bamboo frame mold that is then lifted, and the wet sheet is pressed against a wooden board and carried into outdoor sun-drying — the board and sheet drying together with the sheet adhering to the board until completely dry and naturally releasing. The natural release — the sheet peeling cleanly from the board when fully dry — is the completion indicator: premature removal causes tearing; overlong retention causes brittleness.
Risk level: Endangered · Nepal national ICH list; GI (Geographical Indication) protection
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