Chiyogami: the Japanese paper behind our jewellery
What is Chiyogami?
Chiyogami is Japanese decorative paper, printed with repeating patterns in strong colours and often finished with gold. It dates back to the Edo period, when the patterns were printed by woodblock; today they are applied by silkscreen. Many designs come from kimono textiles: cherry blossoms, cranes, waves, fans and geometric motifs that each carry their own meaning. The paper is also sold as Yuzen paper, a name borrowed from Kyoto's kimono dyeing tradition, whose patterns now appear on paper too.
How we use it
Every piece of Leverras Art origami jewellery starts as a sheet of Chiyogami. We cut it, fold it by hand into cranes, leaves, butterflies and Sonobe shapes, and coat each piece with a protective seal so it holds its form and colour. Because every cut shows a different part of the pattern, no two pieces look exactly alike.
Do you sell the paper?
We no longer sell Chiyogami sheets in our shop. The paper we source is kept for our jewellery and for new projects we're working on.
