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 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.
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.
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.
