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What is Inclusion Paper?

Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth

Inclusion paper is paper into which something besides the main paper ingredient has been incorporated for decorative effect. This is different than paper that includes materials for the purpose of preserving trees, although there could be alternative fiber paper with decorative additions, which would be considered inclusion paper as well.

Fiber papers. Fiber papers are a large category of inclusion paper. Fiber paper may include mulberry (kozo) or banana bark, mango leaves, wheat straw, wool, twigs, or grass. These are often placed in a kozo base. Pinto lokta paper, from the Daphne shrub that grows in Nepal’s Himalayan region, is both decorative and tree-free.

Some inclusion papers are made with bark from the banana plant.
Some inclusion papers are made with bark from the banana plant.

Some paper combines kozo with synthetic fibers or cotton rag with rayon silk inclusions. These papers come in various weights, some as light as tissue paper, and in a wide variety of color, which affects not only the paper, but the inclusion material as well.

There are several less usual kinds of fiber inclusion paper. Woven fiber papers include woven grass or wheat with a paper backing. Newsprint inclusion uses torn bits of local newspapers. Layered inclusion paper combines a layer of mulberry paper with a layer of Japanese Unryu paper for a unique look.

Wheat may be used to make inclusion paper.
Wheat may be used to make inclusion paper.

Flower paper. Flower paper is another category of inclusion paper. The flowers used include asters, bougainvilleas, chrysanthemums, corn flowers, marigolds, navranga flowers, and rose petals. Flower paper may be the thickness of tissue paper, or as thick as cardstock and sold as stationery, particularly high quality thank you notes and envelopes, invitations, and stationery for personal letters.

Marigolds may be used to make flower paper, which is another category of inclusion paper.
Marigolds may be used to make flower paper, which is another category of inclusion paper.

Other types of inclusion paper. Metallic inclusion paper may have, for example, kozo with gold threads or gold and silver flakes. Sparkles are another inclusion, and sparkle inclusions are available in cardstock weight. Fishing net is certainly a less commonly seen type of inclusion paper, as is mica flecks. Sequins, glitter, yarn, glittered petals, fern leaves, and combinations of, for example, petals and grass are other types of inclusion paper that can be found.

Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth

Mary Elizabeth is passionate about reading, writing, and research, and has a penchant for correcting misinformation on the Internet. In addition to contributing articles to HomeQuestionsAnswered about art, literature, and music, Mary Elizabeth is a teacher, composer, and author. She has a B.A. from the University of Chicago’s writing program and an M.A. from the University of Vermont, and she has written books, study guides, and teacher materials on language and literature, as well as music composition content for Sibelius Software.

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Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth

Mary Elizabeth is passionate about reading, writing, and research, and has a penchant for correcting misinformation on the Internet. In addition to contributing articles to HomeQuestionsAnswered about art, literature, and music, Mary Elizabeth is a teacher, composer, and author. She has a B.A. from the University of Chicago’s writing program and an M.A. from the University of Vermont, and she has written books, study guides, and teacher materials on language and literature, as well as music composition content for Sibelius Software.

Learn more...

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    • Some inclusion papers are made with bark from the banana plant.
      By: tungphoto
      Some inclusion papers are made with bark from the banana plant.
    • Wheat may be used to make inclusion paper.
      By: womue
      Wheat may be used to make inclusion paper.
    • Marigolds may be used to make flower paper, which is another category of inclusion paper.
      By: Dionisvera
      Marigolds may be used to make flower paper, which is another category of inclusion paper.
    • Newsprint inclusion uses torn pieces of old newspaper.
      By: Orlando Bellini
      Newsprint inclusion uses torn pieces of old newspaper.