Origami & Folding Paper

Origami (Japanese: oru = fold and kami = paper) is the old Japanese art of folding paper in which square sheets of paper are used to create artistic three-dimensional shapes without the aid of scissors or glue. Well known traditional motifs include flowers, animals and birds – mainly Tsuru (cranes) - as well as objects like Kabuto (helmets), boxes, etc.

In the middle of the 19th Century origami was discovered in Europe to be a pedagogical teaching aid at the kindergarten level (the folding of paper promotes hand-eye coordination as well as a sense of geometry and precision). Today it is not only a means of artistic expression and a leisure time activity for handicraft enthusiasts but is also used as a tool in the fields of science and technology. For example, it is through the use of origami software that airbags can be packed in automobiles in such a way that when blown up they will not rip.

Our selection of origami paper and folding sheets ranges from simple monochrome sheets for practicing to real Japanese origami paper of the best quality with traditional patterns.

Paper for the purpose of folding should be as thin as possible while at the same time firm enough that it will not lose its shape. Good quality origami paper, it should be noted, will always be cut in exact squares.