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ABOUT SA-PAPER(MULBERRY) Paper has been made by hand in the North of Thailand for over 700 years from the bark of the local sa-tree (Broussonetia Papyrifera Vent). Traditionally the paper has been used for Buddhist scripts, temple decorations at festival times, umbrellas, fans and kite making. In former times it was used as a filter in the manufacture of lacquerware. Today it is also used for a wide variety of domestic and industrial purposes including paper towels in hospitals, wrapping and gift paper, wallpaper, lampshades, bookmarks and greetings cards. GATHERING THE RAW MATERIAL The largest concentration of sa-trees are to be found deep in the forests of North Thailand where the bark is collected by villagers and hill-tribe people. It can be difficult to access these areas, particularly with the heavy equipment needed to steam the bark off the freshly cut branches. It takes a full day for one person to harvest just five kilos of good quality washed and dried bark. The sa-tree is a fast growing variety. The tree is coppiced and the bark is stripped from the saplings and dried. The smallest branches of 1-3 inches thickness produce the best quality bark. Once cut these are quickly replenished and can be cut again the following year, while the tree itself lives its natural course. Obtained in this way from renewable sources, sa-paper is considered to be an environmentally friendly product. Thai Government sponsored bodies have been set up to advise on sa-tree husbandry and these are actively engaged in encouraging and training local people in the skills of collection, preservation and quality control.

HANDMADE PAPER-MAKING This is not a big industry. In 1989 (last census) some 500 people in about 20 family units were employed in paper-making in Thailand. During the rainy season (June to October) sourcing of the raw material is low and so too is handmade paper-making itself, since the paper has to be dried in the sun. At other times a family of five working at full capacity will use only about 10 kilos of dry bark a day. The paper-making process has changed little over the centuries. The men begin the process when the bark is first boiled in big open cauldrons over a naked flame to soften the fibre. This is hot and dirty work. It is then left to cool and soak overnight before the water is changed and the fibre washed many times. Dies are added if necessary and the fibre is beaten to a pulp. Depending on the final thickness of the paper required, the pulp is then either placed in large vats to dissipate, or rolled into balls for manual spreading onto a bamboo frame with a cotton screen. The former method is used for tissue and thin paper, whereby the frame is 'washed' in the vats and small fibres are captured on the screen. Thicker paper is literally spread onto the same screen by hand. This final part of the process requires considerable skill and dexterity and is invariably undertaken by the women in the family. The paper itself forms naturally on the frames, which are placed in the sun to dry, before being peeled from the screens in sheets. The production of handmade paper by this method is, of course, time consuming and expensive relative to paper that is mass-produced in factories. But we think you will agree with us that our handmade paper has an incomparable, natural, aesthetic beauty that is worth paying a little extra for and that this is an art that is well worth supporting and developing. MAKING SA-PAPER PRODUCTS One of the biggest producers of sa-paper in the world is Japan. The Japanese buy large quantities of the raw material and also the paper from Thailand and use it to make a variety of speciality products for home consumption and export. A small supply resource together with a large and ready market demand for the basic product has meant that there has been a relatively easy income, little competition and therefore limited incentive for local producers to improve the quality of their output or to invest time and money in learning how to make new and different finished products themselves. GHQ and the craftspeople within White Lotus are definitely an exception to this trend. We have invested considerable time and resources in pioneering new production techniques and introducing innovative designs that appeal to different tastes and market needs. Batik Painting on Sa Paper This is our specialism. We were the first people in Thailand to produce the traditional art of batik painting, normally associated with exotic fabrics, on mulberry paper. Wax is melted down. Using special batik tools called djantings or batik brushes, wax is then delicately applied in various designs on the sa paper. When the wax is dried, the inlaid designs are then painted with various colours. The wax acts as a divide to control the flow of dye. The painted paper is hung up to dry. When dry the wax is removed leaving just the painted paper. This batik paper is then used as a covering for various gift boxes and stationery items which have been constructed out of cardboard paper.

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Key sales contacts: Mr Jeffrey Jones (Managing Director) Grassroots H.Q. Co., Ltd. 43 Moo 3 Tambon Makamluang Amphur San Patong Chiang Mai 50120 Thailand Tel: (+66 53) 311 996..7 Fax:(+66 53) 311 179 Email: ghqinfo@grassrootshq.com In order to deal with the large volume of spam we receive, please put the word "saapaper" (without the quotation marks) in the subject line of your message. If you do not, we may not see your message. Website: http://asiaplus.com/ghq